Annie
by ravenclawfever
Summary: Annie Cresta is reaped for the 70th annual Hunger Games and lacks even the slightest hope of winning - but her mentor, Finnick Odair, has other plans.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own The Hunger Games series, Suzanne Collins does. I'm just obsessed with them. _

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**Chapter one - **Annie

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I sat in my room, quietly waiting for my mother to finish fixing my long, dark hair. She always made such a lovely creation out of the tangled mess. She blamed me for being out in the water for too long, not that I could help it. I could sprout fins and I would see it as a blessing. My older brother watched on from a room nearby. His last reaping had been a year ago, and he had never been chosen. We celebrated his 19th birthday with extra frivolity , knowing that he was never in danger of being chosen in the Hunger Games again. Everyone was happy, except for him. Now he couldn't push away the thought of being unable to protect me if I were ever chosen.

"Can't you finish up later?" Avan asked our mother impatiently, "There's still a few hours until the reaping.."

She shot him an unhappy glare, "Be patient, Avan." Her thin fingers finished twirling the very last curl on my head, "Don't let her ruin her hair. I wont have time to fix it later."

Annie put on a pair of dark brown knickers and a pair of meshy shoes before her brother grabbed her hand and they dashed out of the house. The Cresta's didn't live in the worst part of District 4; her father was in charge of the shipping yard and made good money, at least enough for them to live comfortably. There were seaside mansions, very few, but very much landmarked the wealthier half of 4. The rest, Annie's family included, lived in open, airy cabins - some larger than others but designed to perfectly suit the breezy winds that blew through their town.

"They wont pick you, you know." Avan commented as they walked down a rocky street that would eventually lead them to the ocean, "You're too much of a girl."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I said gruffly, wondering if it was just his own way to rid his fears.

He grabbed a strand of my hair, dark brown indoors but illuminated with streaks of auburn and gold in the sunlight. "Look at you, they'd feel sorry throwing you in there."

I laughed, "At least I can keep myself alive. When was the last time you caught a fish.."

"Yesterday -"

I stopped him, "Without a fishing pole?"

I was satisfied with his silence. After he had begun working at the yard with our father, he had relied too heavily on machinery. He had seemed to forgotten what had plagued their district four years ago, but I never would. They weren't getting the boats and poles they needed to continue a steady stock of fish, we all feared starvation. That was the year when my dad taught me how to swim far distances for hours at a time. I dove underwater and learned to catch fish of all sizes with my bare hands and I was good at it, once I got over the fear of having to handle the bigger fish, that is.

"Annie!" my father's boisterous voice came from behind a boat on the pier, "Would you fix up that net for me?"

I jumped straight into work as he pulled Avan aside. They were so far it was almost impossible to listen, but I didn't have to eavesdrop to know the topics looming over their easily disguised conversation. The reaping was in a few hours, and being 15, I was still very much eligible to be selected. But my chances were slim - there were hundreds, thousands even, living in 4. My safety was almost guaranteed. I was just about done with my knot when Avan headed back towards me.

"Hungry? Dad's got a fresh new batch of seaweed."

"Ice cream?" I smiled, taking the bronzed hand he offered. His hazel brown eyes narrowed playfully.

"Why do we always have to do what you want?"

"Because." I said, crossing my arms over my chest as if there really was no other response to his question.

"Vague."

Within a few moments, we got to work on taking the seaweed, crushing it into a large metal bowl. He added what seemed to be the right amount of sugar, cream, and milk, having memorized the portions from years of practice and churned everything together. I ran to get a pair of spoons, not the nice ones we offered customers, but the older, rustier ones we kept stowed away for ourselves. I took the first bite, enjoying the simple pleasure of my favorite treat. We spent the last two hours talking to a few friends from school who had passed by for their own bite of ice cream before Avan brought me back home to finish getting ready. She dressed me in a turquoise dress she had saved for just the occasion. It was strapless and reached my knees, flowing as if it were just an extension of our never-ending oceans. Avan walked me to the area designated for kids my age, making sure that my hair was still loosely curled, my cheeks still pink, but more importantly that my sea-green eyes were still shining as brightly as they were this morning. It was his way of reading me, because my face worked to my advantage in hiding emotions.

A man with brassy colored hair took the stage, our past victors following suit. The first, Mags, and older lady that had won the games long before I was born - possibly even before my parents. The second caused quite a stir, not for winning the games, but for his sun-kissed skin, dazzling smile, and messy blonde hair. Finnick Odair was the youngest to have ever won the games five years ago, at the mere age of 14. He was a well-known figure just for that, that is, if he didn't have his looks to grant him even larger favor. The rest of the victors piled in, there were thirteen still alive - a small amount compared to those left in the larger districts like 1 and 2.

The ceremony began with a brief introduction of what the Hunger games is, as if we all weren't already aware of the torturous event. It was a barbaric display of children fighting to the death, all for the sake of entertaining the Capitol. The man brushed his brassy locks aside, beginning to introduce the previous victors and allowing the audience a brief applaud.

He announced that this year, the mentors were Finnick and Mags, both of which were rumored to easily reel in sponsors. It was the best choice for having another victor from district 4.

"We'll begin with the ladies." he said in a low, hoarse voice. His hand reached into the crystal clear ball, digging around for the paper that would determine a poor girl's fate. It took a push from my friend behind me to bring me back to reality.

"Annie." she said worriedly, her eyes filling with tears, "Annie, that's you. He called your name."

My mouth fell ajar, and I had to really listen to her to digest the information, "It couldn't be."But was quickly reassured with the sound of my name ringing my ears.

"Annie Cresta." the man said again, growing impatient, and with another step I was moving forward. The shock of it all still settling when he took a hold of my shoulder and placed me beside him. "She's too thrilled for words!" he squealed, "Any volunteers?"

My throat felt dry. I wanted to cry, but my tears had seemed to have evaporated. I frantically searched the crowd as Costas, the announcer, went in to pull out a boys name.

"Lucas Murdoch"

I recognized that name from school. He was a friend, two years older than me, and one of us had to die. That was what it took to ignite my tears, but I swallowed them, leaving my lips in a straight line. Resolved and strong, or at least trying to be. The moment he reached the stage his hand reached for mine and I squeezed it. I don't remember anything after I was led away from the stage and into the justice building - just a flood of tears. They sat me in a chair, in an empty white room. The next stage of being a tribute was saying good-bye to your family and friends. I wasn't ready to say good-bye. I was only fifteen.

Avan came in first, steady and strong. He would have a much better chance at winning than I do. He opened his arms and I rushed into them, trying to compose myself long enough to get through our meeting.

"What I said earlier, Annie, it wasn't real. You've got a good chance at winning. You're thin, fast -"

I interrupted him, "You've seen the careers from past years," I said slowly, trying to make him understand without actually having to say it myself.

"Yeah I've seen them, but they're missing something you've got." He said, holding my shoulders tightly, "Brains. Use it. It's your strongest weapon."

I didn't say anything, I was waiting for more advice, anything that can help me live through this. "You're going to make it." he said to me. "Stay near the water - eat fish. Just promise me you'll make it back."

"What if there isn't any water? I don't know how to find anything else to eat."

I stared into his light brown eyes for an answer, an answer he couldn't give me. Instead, he hugged me again and said that he loved me.

The next person to come in was my best friend Fillippa, there wasn't much she could offer, except for a few laughs. The moment my parents came in, I broke down. I was hardly able to grasp anything they were saying in between my mother's pleads for me to come back and my dad's reminder to be resourceful and strong. I was able to compose myself just before they left, long enough to tell them how much they meant to be, and that I would try my best. I knew my best wasn't nearly good enough.

I was left alone in the white room for a few minutes, imagining my rapid heart beat enough noise to fill the entire room, when one of the victors came in to guide me to a train. She wrapped her hand around my shoulders, whispering comforting words and hopeful encouragements. I never asked for her name, and I didn't remember it from the games but I remembered how she won. She was tall, thin, and quick - just like me - and seeing her standing with me gave me a trace of hope that I might have a chance.

Before we were able to enter the privacy of the train, we were willed to stand in the doorway for cameras and pictures. I put on my best smile, but I didn't need a mirror to know my eyes were still red and swollen from earlier. Once the door was closed, I sighed in relief. Or so I thought it was relief, until I began to feel a churning feeling in my stomach.

Costas placed both his hands on each of our backs and led us down a tight corridor. His hand held me up when I almost lost my footing when the train began moving. We were dropped off in front of two doors, facing each other, to find our rooms inside. The victor's rooms were huge, with paneled walls and dark wooden furniture. My bedspread was a turqoise blue, probably to prompt memories of water and the ocean. Costas had asked us to pick something nice out for dinner in an hour. I hurried into the shower, having only used one once in my life, and felt the drops trickle down my skin pleasantly. I left my dress on the bed and found a pair of linen pants and a green shirt. Costas knocks on the door to collect me, and I take a few minutes before I exit and walk down the shaky corridor to the dining compartment.

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**A/N: Ok, so this story is going to be told between Annie and Finnick's different POV's. I intend to limit each chapter to one POV, in order to avoid confusion, so I'll try to keep that up. Thanks for reading! I'd love some reviews (:**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two** - Finnick

I made sure Mags was comfortable. She was old - but strong. It was her cunning mind that was at times surprisingly sharper than mine, that led me to my own victory five years ago. We needed her for strategy, and well, my looks. We waited for the tributes to come in and decided we would get to know them before we jumped into anything serious. Luke came in first. Light blonde hair, platinum even, and a dark shade of blue for eyes. His face, nothing extraordinary. He wasn't me. Mags and I began talking to him straight away, asking him about his family, his friends, anything at all. Costas joined in, too, but only to compliment the lovely honey tones in his hair.

A few minutes later, Annie came into view. Long dark brown hair, eyes that reminded me of the sea. I fought against a strange knot in my stomach when she looked at me and smiled. I could tell that Luke and Annie knew each other long before this, because they easily jumped into conversation, and even shared a few stories from school. The entire time she spoke, I couldn't help but think of how lovely her voice was.

Somewhere in between the conversation, I realized that this girl, I knew her. At least, I'm certain I've seen her before.

"We went to school together, didn't we Annie?" I asked her casually, hoping she would look at me with those sea green eyes again.

"Yes, we did." she said shyly, "But I was a few grades lower than you."

I nodded, remembering how I used to see her pass me in the halls. Her beauty hadn't gone unnoticed. We looked at each other for a little longer after that, until Luke had called her attention away. It was a sick and twisted thought, but I was glad she had been reaped - it meant, I can talk to her. I didn't let my mind get away from me though, I didn't forget to think about the real reason why we were all stuck in this train.

I gestured towards a large glass bowl, filled with chocolate pudding and large, red strawberries. "Help yourselves." I said to the both of them, but only flashing Annie a grin. She looked away nervously as Lucas grabbed the silver spoon to fill his plate.

"It's great." He said nodding, "What is it?"

I told him it was pudding. My insides stung as I said it, because I thought back to before I had acquired the riches that came with being named victor. I remembered my mother, her long blonde hair tickling my arm as she kissed my cheek, smiling. She was always smiling. Things were bad, for everyone, not just us. But she still smiled, and that's how I remember her. Mags decided against the pudding and pushed her plate forward, a gesture the Capitol workers knew meant to have it removed from the table.

We tried to keep conversation light that evening, sparing them at least a few hours of ignorance. The same ignorance I was led towards when I was sitting in the very same place Lucas was right now. We moved into a compartment with a large television set and couches sparsely adorning the steely gray walls. I sat on the larger one, right beside Annie and Lucas and I noticed her move closer to him. I felt like I had to say something, anything to defend myself. Wasn't that what she was doing after all? Scurrying away as if she were scared of me.

I wasn't scary. I wasn't even completely unattractive. Why would she move away?

I turned on the set, in spite of myself, and watched as they replayed the reapings of all the districts. We scoped our competition, Mags and I talked about the strategies we knew some of the mentors would be using. We knew all about them. We had worked into their inner circle, gain their trust, and in turn, they have each granted us a small secret. Was it deception? Hardly. We were only trying to keep one of our tributes alive – only hoping it were possible to keep them both.

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**A/N: Thanks for your reviews! I know this chapter is a tad bit short. I'm trying to keep the chapters seperated by POV, so some might be shorter than I would like. Either way, hope you guys liked it! Please review (:**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three** - Annie

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I remembered Finnick Odair. Not to mention I had seen him frequently at the shipping yard. He had plenty of admirers, from what I heard both in the capitol and 4. I wasn't surprised to see that he didn't disappoint up close either. The man was handsome, and I felt unusually shy as we ate. I tried not to look at him though. No, it would be far too complicated for me to see him as anything but my mentor. But he would never know what I thought about him. It was just a secret thought, probably conjured as a result of really noticing him for the first time. It would long be forgotten.

But then he sat next to me. It was a strange decision. There was easily enough space next to Mags. He might be friendly, that's all. He's just..friendly. The longer we sat, watching the television, the quicker I forgot he was next to me. Watching the rest of the tributes was just as bad as being told neither of us had a chance, at least, I didn't. Lucas was tall, strong – the muscles in his arms evidence enough to tell me he'd last longer than I would.

District one was first, the place where there would surely be a career tribute. It was expected. The wealthier districts always had one, my own district included. Lucas had been training since he could walk, along with a handful of other boys and girls whom considered it the highest privilege to murder other teenagers.

Dagan, the boy from District 1 was the largest person I'd ever seen in my life. He easily reached over six feet, with broad shoulders and a chin that was entirely too close to his chest, leaving him without a neck. I felt my mouth fall ajar at the sight of him, and I knew that Finnick had noticed because a moment later I felt him squeeze my shoulder. Something tingles, but I didn't look at him, because my eyes were busy studying Lotus, the monstrous boys partner. She was equally as frightening, and although redundant, I was sure I'd never seen a girl as large as her either. It was almost unnatural. The rest of the districts went on, each one having their very own version of a Costas – yet I admit, he was the strangest of the bunch. The tributes from District two both had bright, red hair and freckled skin. They could almost be siblings, but their faces were far too different for that. Like Dagan and Lotus, they had volunteered in place of the original tributes, both well prepared for the games.

Then it was Costas on the screen, and the deep blue oceans surrounding our district. There was a cool breeze lifting his shoulder length hair around his face. He tried not to struggle as he pat it down. The wind wasn't in his favor. I watched as he grimaced in his chair, self-consciously holding the tips of his hair into his neck, as if he had been traumatized from having to re-live the moment. The rest I remembered, his announcement, but then I heard the one thing I had missed during the reaping: when he had initially called my name out. There was a silence in the crowd, as no one stepped up to claim the honor, until he said it again and I began to walk, slowly, to the stage. I didn't seem as terrified as I felt, thankfully. Instead, I carried myself well - my long legs gracefully carrying me to Costas as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder. The dress sparkled against the sunlight, glittering at the camera. My mother must've inconspicuously placed small, reflecting beads because I surely wouldn't have approved.

"You look great, Annie." Lucas said, smiling.

I tried to mirror his smile, but I felt as if there were a hand squeezing my stomach.

Then his own name was called, and he genuinely grinned happily. It was as if it were his proudest moment. He fell back into the sofa, his long, tanned arm spread out on back, behind me. The boy on screen was shining. His thick, blonde hair was well-kept and trimmed and he wore an impressive khaki pant suit, putting the rest of the district to shame.

It was until now that I noticed no one had volunteered for me. I was well-aware there was more than one girl willing to fight for the glory, yet no one had bothered.

I blindly watched the rest of the district tributes being called, not really absorbing any information until I noticed a slim girl from district 8. Physically, she looked like me, but she had terrifying wolf-like eyes. An unusual bright amber I had never seen before. Then again, I had never seen much more than for green and blue, the most common colors in our district.

Mags left before the tape was over, claiming she felt tired and allowed Finnick's help when he offered to take her to her room. Lucas glanced over, waiting to meet my eyes.

"It's thrilling isn't it?" he said briskly.

I put my highest efforts into remaining collected. We obviously weren't on the same team, but I knew that _pretending_ to be on his would help me a great deal.

"You can win Lucas, I know it." I say, hoping to sound enthusiastic.

He grins in satisfaction at first, but then seems to feel sympathy for me, "One of us has to. It'll bring our district so many great things."

I looked at him, "District one seems pretty vicious, don't they?"

He shrugged, "Lotus was pretty hot."

"_Really?_" I say disbelievingly.

His face is serious as he nods, but then I see a twitch in the corner of his lip.

"That Dagan guy…"I paused, "I'd reel him in my net any day." I joked, quite badly actually, using some district 4 humor.

He began laughing, and so did I, until our eyes watered. He drew his thumb up to his face to wipe away the water. "W-why am I…crying?" he said in between gasps for air.

I nudge his arm, "It's called laughing until you cry…obviously."

"_obviously." _He echoed in a strained voice.

"I don't sound like that."

"You do though."

"Stop crying. What are you? A girl?"

His eyes narrowed, and so did mine and I was so grateful for this small pause to the whirlwind of the next few days. Maybe there was a reason why Lucas was here. Although he was a career, he had a heart, and we had known each other since childhood. He was about to counter-argue when a knock came from the side of the open door.

"Time for bed guys." said Finnick, bearing a pearly smile, "Big day tomorrow."

Lucas and I exchanged another small laugh before we walked past Finnick. My shoulder brushed against his chest, noticing that he had moved closer after Lucas had passed. And there it was. Another jolt of electricity. I was beginning to wonder if this was all a part of the training, preparing us for electrocution or something, but a part of me knew that it was something else. Something I couldn't quite control.

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**A/N: Review? (: I really want to know what you guys think! Is it too slow or am I going at a decent pace?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 5- **Annie

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The next morning, Costas is giddy with excitement as he knocks on my door. "Get dressed Annie!" I hear his voice through the door, "Wonderful day ahead, really wonderful!"

A few seconds later I hear something similar from a few feet away. He must be delivering the same greeting to Lucas. I wake up quickly. Surprisingly, I slept decently last night. It might be because I know today is nothing compared to what's to come. There's still a series of events to unfold before we're thrown into the arena. Why lose sleep now? I might as well enjoy it while I can.

I throw on a pair of black pants and a light blue tunic, and take the time to fix my appearance in front of a full-length mirror. It might seem illogical, but I was suddenly self-conscious as to how I looked. I knew that I needed a good amount of sponsors to keep me going a few days. I knew I would die, I hadn't quite changed my mind about that. But I knew I wouldn't go out without a fight. My integrity would remain intact, even through my last moments. It wasn't really for my own pride or satisfaction, but for my family. For my parents and Avan. I didn't want them to see me feebly throwing away my life. I knew Avan expected more of me – and I wouldn't let him down. He would see his sister die on the television, that was inevitable, but he would see her fight, too. That way, he'd remember me as being strong and determined, although the odds weren't ever in my favor.

Once I've let my hair loose and used a rosy pink cream I'd found in the bathroom on my cheeks, I walked into the dining car where everyone's already eating. I sit down next to Lucas as he asks me about the conditions of my sleep. I tell him I slept fine and I'm happy to hear he did too.

I barely look at Finnick, just once when he asked me if I was interested in another croissant. To which I politely refused, and darted my eyes away almost instantly.

"So, aren't you two supposed to, you know, be giving us advice or something?" Lucas asked after he had eaten his fill. I still wasn't finished.

Mags smiled, "First is first, we're headed to the Capitol now. You two are going to be taken to meet with your stylists." She said, looking at me to make sure I was paying attention, "There's a few things they're going to do to you that will make you feel uncomfortable. Don't interrupt them and don't object."

I nodded reluctantly. What were they going to do to me? I noticed Finnick staring from the corner of my eye.

"Then you'll be led to the Opening Ceremony, where they'll introduce all the tributes." Finnick added, "Now, that's the easy part. What do you two have to offer that'll set you apart from the others? Any skills? Can you fight?"

Lucas jumped in first, probably already programmed to answer this. "Yes, I can lift over 150 pounds. I know how to wield a knife and I've got good practice with it…"

The more he spoke, listing his long list of talents, the more insignificant I began to feel. Who was I to even _think_ I'd last more than a few hours in the arena? I was nothing in comparison to Lucas, and there were more just like him.

"What about you, Annie?" Finnick asked, turning his attention to me.

His blue eyes made me forget what I was going to say for a moment, and I struggled to find the right words again.

"She's smart." I heard Lucas say beside me. "_Really_ smart."

I looked at him, slightly agape and shocked, "I know how to tie knots…and I can fish…"

Finnick nodded, "That's a good start."

I didn't even smile at his efforts to make my situation more optimistic. I was doomed. I knew it. Mags knew it. Lucas knew it. And I could even see a sympathetic doubt in Finnick's eyes.

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**A/N: Short chapter -_- I'll try to make it longer next time. Which by the way, will have some nice Finnick/Annie fluff! (;**  
**Thanks for your reviews! 10 already, not too shabby :D **


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five – **Finnick

I would train her to win. Lucas didn't need any help, it was more than obvious that he was a career. I decided to focus my attention on Annie, and after having a brief chat about it with Mags she had agreed to do the same – save the most important tips for Annie.

After I Mags, I wandered back into the dining car expecting it to be empty. It was the perfect place to think, other than my room, the room that I have dwelled in for four years, including my own days as a tribute. Needless to say, I was no longer impressed with the luxury Capitol offered and hated that room. I reached the car, walking around one of the capitol workers and sat down as if I were ready for another helping of breakfast. I was just about to close my eyes, when I noticed Annie's silhouette from the window across from me. She was staring at the lush greenery rapidly fly by, and then I remembered how strange it felt to be exploring the world outside of district four for the first time. Riveting yet terrifying.

Hesitantly, I stood and carefully walked towards her. Her shoulder flinched once I was beside her, and again I wondered what she was so scared of.

"It's like nothing you've ever seen before, huh?"

She looked up at me with those eyes, those sea-green eyes that felt like home. "I just never thought about it. The possibility of what was out there, beyond 4."

'And then once it's there, it's like a slap in the face isn't it?" I asked her, with an undercurrent playfulness.

She smiled. It was small and probably just a polite gesture, but I was glad I'd put it there. "Sort of, yeah." She paused, redirecting her gaze to the window. In the sun, the iris of her eyes was almost transparent. "It makes you wonder if you've ever really lived at all. Crowded in the walls of district…"

Almost instantly, she forced her mouth closed and her eyes widened, "No, I didn't mean that –"

I interrupted her before she could get another word out, "I used to feel the same way."

Her shoulders relaxed, but she still seemed pretty tense about the situation. Those are things you normally don't say to people, without landing the risk of it reaching Capitol. Luckily, I have long stopped caring about what they might do to me.

"What are you leaving behind, Annie?" I asked softly, curious about her life, but in no way intending to offend her.

Her eyes remained set on the scenery outside, almost indifferent. "My parents….my brother, Avan….my friends….Fillippa…"

"Avan Cresta. Does he work at the pier?" I asked her, almost regretting bringing the subject up, but again my curiosity overwhelmed me.

"Yes, with my father." She responded, but not as dryly as before.

"I knew Avan. I'd go down there a lot to buy fish – I don't know what it was about them, but their fish always tasted better than the others."

Annie smiled, "Because our side of the ocean likes us better."

"That must be it." I supplied, smiling with her.

She was finally looking at me again, until something distracted her. I turned my head to the left to see what it could be. Capitol. The place was rearing into view. We were beginning to pass the strange people that lived here, when they began realizing that this was a tribute train. They began waving madly, hoping to catch sight of the tributes before the opening ceremonies. Most likely to boast of their appearance before they were ready for the world to see. Annie watched in wonder, but the fear in her eyes was imminent.

I'm almost re-living the events through her.

My fellow tribute was a loud, attention-seeking girl. Between the two of us, there was more ego than the entire population of Capitol combined. We fought for attention, on and off the cameras. District four became an instant favorite with the crowd and sponsors. Needless to say, we weren't friends. How could we be? She was too busy trying to stay alive, and I was too busy taking notes. Azure showed me how to survive, although she never intended to.

Annie moving beside me brought me back to the present. Lucas was standing next to her now, denying me of another private moment with her.

"Its…" began Annie.

"Fantastic." Added Lucas, but one look at Anne was enough to know that wasn't what she had in mind.

Costas crept up behind me, his voice screeching in my ear.

"We're here!" He began to say excitedly as he clapped his hands together, "We're finally here. Ok you two, best face forward, fix yourselves up."

Mags moved over to Annie and set her wrinkled, yet intricate hands to work on Annies hair. There was nothing wrong with it, really, but you could never look good enough for Capitol. After all, these people were responsible for your fate. I offered Lucas a pat on the back and wished him luck, all the while I maintained inconspicuous eye contact with Annie. I watched her smile at Mags and thank her. I watched her nervously tuck a strand of brown hair behind her ear. I watched as Lucas took a hold of her hand and guided her to the train doors to exit. And I watched as her eyes searched for mine as soon as he did.

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**A/N: Please **review **(:


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6- **Annie

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The moment we passed the crowds of Capitol people, Lucas and I were separated. A tall, pale woman snatched my arm and another did the same to Lucas, leading us in opposite directions. I tried not to struggle, but I was scared. Mags and Finnick told us these people would groom us, but the way they were treating me didn't convince me of their supposed intentions. The corridor was dark, until bright flashes of light began to progressively switch on as we took step after step. Now it was too bright. I wasn't used to all of this artificial light. It felt too unnatural. The walk was long, and the woman did nothing to assure my safety, so I thought back to the train.

I remembered Lucas grabbing my hand, too my complete surprise, and taking me away from our mentors. I shouldn't have done it, and a part of me doesn't know why I did. But almost reflexively, I checked to see Finnick's reaction. It was stupid, really, but the fact that he was looking made my stomach turn.

I abruptly resisted the urge to yell, my voice falling into a soft whimper. One of my stylists, Fauna, noticed and smiled at me.

"It isn't great the first time around, but you get used to it."

"And it's very much worth the trouble," another stylist added, "You wont have to be worry about those nasty little hairs for a long time." He said, emphasizing the world 'long'.

I grimaced, my feeble attempt at smiling and complying like Mags had instructed. Within a few hours, I could feel the softness of my skin and the smoothness of my legs. I couldn't yet see what they had done to me, but I was hoping it wasn't anything as drastic as what Fauna sported; pale, yellow skin and bright orange hair spurting out ringlets in all directions. Suddenly, I was nervous. The idea of beauty was completely different in the Capitol when compared to that of the Districts. It almost made me afraid to look in the mirror.

They were all chirping about their work, examining me as if I were an inanimate object. I wished I had a towel to wrap around my exposed body, but then I remembered Mags words. I tried to ignore the fact that I was naked, but I think it was markedly obvious that I was uncomfortable. One of the men with blue skin looked me over for the last time before nodding approvingly. They told me that my head stylist would be here in a minute and left. I stood there, wrapping my arms over my chest. I wondered if this is how they treated all the tributes, if Lucas was standing naked in the next room too. Just then, a young man with long, dark blue hair walked in.

"Hello Annie. I'm Helia." He smiled, holding his hand out to me. "The worst is over, I assure you, but I've got some really great ideas for your costume tonight."

"Ok, do you mind if I get a towel first?" I asked quietly, hoping this wouldn't upset him.

And then he burst out laughing, "Of course! Go ahead, its right over there." He said shrugging me off and then pulling out a large black notebook from a desk in the room.

I did as he instructed and walked back to where I was standing before, waiting for him to inform me of our next move. The room was a lot more intimidating without the three previous stylists incessant chatter and for the first time I noticed it had a particular smell, a mixture of sea water and soft, wet sand. I subtly lifted my arm up to my nose and sniffed the crook of my elbow. The smell was coming from me, this must be a part of the ensemble I was being prepared for. Either way, I liked it. it was the highest form of reassurance I'd had all day.

"Those eyes." He said, putting the book down and crossing over to me, "You know, Fauna told me she had barely changed anything about you and now I can see why. You don't need it." he said, studying my face, "You're gorgeous."

I felt my cheeks go hot, not because I was enjoying his praises, but because of the awkwardness of the situation. I was naked, wrapped with just a towel, to then have some man talk about how beautiful I was. I just wished he'd get on with it and dress me.

"Ready?" asked Helia smiling. "You're going to look sensational."

As he got to work on my clothes, his funny remarks helped smooth the tension. Helia was bizarre, but he had good intentions – or at least he thought he did. I don't think anyone here realized the severity of these games. To them, its all just a game. To us, it's a death sentence. As soon as I can feel fabric covering most of my body, he got to work on my hair when I saw another person's hair sprawled out on the floor beside me. The idea of having a stranger's hair somewhere within my own made me cringe. But I wouldn't protest.

After the funny feeling in my scalp began to numb, Helia turned me around, observing me from head to toe. He couldn't restrain the smile of satisfaction creeping on his face. He was proud of his work, and I hadn't yet even had a chance to see it.

"Follow me." he said, leading me into the bathroom.

He asked me to close my eyes and then open them. The girl standing in front of me, it wasn't me. This girl had thick, dark hair that ended by her knees in long, cascading waves. Her skin glittered in the light, but the sea-green fin made her skin dull in comparison. It reflected light from every which way and instantly commanded attention from anyone who laid their eyes on it. My breasts were cupped in blue shells, seemingly attached to my skin because there wasn't any fabric holding them up. And my face, my face was stunning. My eyelashes were long and curled, rimmed with black to emphasize the color of my eyes, which now, I realized, were the same exact color as my fin.

"Do you like it?"

I had to tear my eyes away from the mirror, "It's amazing."

"Of course, now I don't know how I'm going to dress you for the interview. I have to figure out how I'm going to top _this_."

It isn't for another length of time before Helia escorts me to the elevator, which would then take me down to the chariots. All of a sudden, I'm nervous with anticipation. How will people react? I'm going to be on stage with an exposed midriff. What would my parents think? I'm taken to the bottom level of the remake arena, which is essentially a large stable housing all the tributes as they get ready. I try not to look at the other ones, scared that their outfit might be better than mine. If they outdo me, there's no way I'll ever get sponsors. I feel Helia put a hand on my back and guide me to a light blue chariot with Lucas standing right beside it. The woman next to him is fixing up a fallen rhinestone from the lapel of his blazer. His pants are made of the same glittery fabric as mine, but he shines twice as much because his blazer is too. My heart falls to my stomach. Were they dressing Lucas better? Though his bare skin, barely hidden by the blazer, didn't have sparkle like mine. They ushered us into the chariot, arranging our limbs and adding some seaweed around my neck. Our stylists looked us over again, something I was already getting used to, and waved us good-bye before wishing us luck.

Lucas looked at me, "All this glitter….I look like a girl don't i?"

Annie giggled, "Not at all. More like a very flamboyant boy."

Lucas groaned, "How am I supposed to get sponsors with _this?"_ he asked, gesturing towards his blazer. It was even more dazzling in the dim lights.

"You've seen how the people dress here. They like this kind of stuff."

He contemplated the thought for a moment, the frown in his face unwinding. "I guess you're right."

I stared out the window, waiting for the carriages to begin moving when I saw Helia and Lucas's stylist talking. "Where's Finnick?" I asked, and then asked about Mags for good measure.

"Don't really need them." He shrugged, playing with something in his pant leg. "You've seen the ceremonies before – they're just introducing us. I mean, as long as you don't trip and fall, you're good."

Really? That was all the advice he had to offer me? Of course if he had any other tips he wouldn't disclose that information with me. After all, we were still competing against each other. Unfortunately, our friendship came second.

"Do you miss home?" I asked him. Not because I didn't know the answer, but because I wanted to hear him talk about it. I wanted a few seconds of the Lucas I used to know, before we went up to that stage, clad in mermaid wear.

He sighed. "Yeah. I mean, don't get me wrong, It's great to be hear and all, but...I miss my friends and...my brothers."

I nodded, "You know what?"

"What?" he asked and I noticed his dark blue eyes ignite with interest.

"I'm glad, that we're here together. I just feel...better having you here." I gave him a sad smile.

He tried to put his arm around my shoulder, but instantly drew away when a wad of glitter stuck to his forearm. He made a face, removing my glitter from his and haphazardly attempting to stick it back on my shoulder; where there was a patch of un-glittered skin.

I laughed, so hard that my stomach hurt. He looked at me like I had gone mad for a second, but then I heard him laughing too. His deep, throaty laughter contrasting from my light, delicate titter.

"This is pathetic." he finally said, clutching on to his side. "You're missing a huge patch of glitter on your back, right at your neck."

I took it from his hand. "I have more than enough, no one will notice."

His eyes caught mine and we stayed like that for a moment. "Annie."

"Lucas?"

He grinned, "I'm happy we're here together too."

We sat in silence for a few minutes, until finally; the wheels unbuckled beneath us and began rolling.

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**A/N: Thanks for your reviews! They make me happy :) I've written a fair amount of chapters for this story, so I'll probably update in about three or four days. Thanks so much for reading and keep the reviews coming. They help me make the story better!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7-**finnick

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District after District was introduced, the first two wearing an impressive display of twinkling lights and barely-there clothing. I remembered what they had me in during the opening ceremony. It was embarrassing. I was a piece of meat being thrown off to the people of the capitol to feast on. Azure was in a two piece number, a bustier made of shells and a seaweed bottom, and despite it all, she looked stunning. She felt confident and it showed, she had the crowd in the palm of her hands since the very moment our train rolled into the city. I was nearly naked, and that's hardly an exaggeration. My upper body was exposed, with only a short pair of shorts strung together from seaweed, similar to Azures. The crowd enjoyed it, but I felt humiliated. That's when I began to lose dignity, piece by piece. I felt nervous for a moment as the two of district three walked in. What if they had Annie in some over exposing costume? I had told her not to worry. Why did I lie?

But when I heard her name, my mouth fell open in gawking surprise. I had _never_ seen anyone look as beautiful as Azure did on that day…until now. Annie was sparkling. Although I was sitting in the front row, I was sure that even those sitting yards behind me could see her eyes shining like I did. I hardly noticed the crowds reaction until Mags nudged at my side, smiling. They were cheering, the loudest they had cheered for anyone as of yet. I felt an arm on my shoulder and turned around to see Johanna Mason, one of the past winners of district 7, congratulate me. Although our tributes were competing against each other, we still remained close, even helping each other at times. I put my hand over hers and squeezed it. We were the only two in our circle of victors just a few years apart in age. The rest were much older, and so we relied on each other a lot.

The other victors came and went, but my eyes were only on Annie, and Lucas of course. After all, their reaction was all that mattered to me. They were both smiling, standing a few inches apart, but I could see the tension lined in her shoulders. She was uncomfortable. Lucas seemed alright. He embraced the crowd, even spinning around when one of the ladies in the front asked him to. She clapped and shrieked in delight. He was a handsome boy, and the citizens of the Capitol had definitely noticed.

I didn't get to see Annie again until dinner. They had been sent straight up to our room to shower by the time we arrived. It wasn't about until an hour later that we all sat down for dinner.

"Everyone loved you!" oozed Costas, almost throwing a pea off his fork, "The crowds went mad!"

Lucas grinned, "I guess our glittery outfits worked then."

Costas laughed, "I'm sure that had very little to do with it."

Lucas crossed his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"I'm sure no one noticed the toned physique underneath your sequined vest." said Costas casually, as if he weren't complimenting Lucas on his body.

His cheeks turned red, but he didn't say anything.

I lingered on his face for a moment, before I noticed how quiet Annie was.

"You looked _really_ good, Annie." I told her, being careful with my use of adjectives as to not make her uncomfortable.

"Thanks," She looked up from her plate, "Finnick." She added as an afterthought.

Mags threw her arm out across the table, "Do you need help taking those extensions off your hair later?" she asked sweetly, in a maternal tone.

Annie smiled at her, reaching out for her hand, "Helia told me to leave them on, I need them tomorrow too, but thank you."

She squeezed her hand before pulling away. My eyes remained on her hand, absently, and then I caught her eyes. I couldn't help looking away.

I didn't get to speak with her privately like I'd wished to. After dinner, we spent the rest of the night watching the recap of the opening ceremonies before Lucas and Annie dismissed themselves to go to sleep. I lay in my bed, my covers undone, and stared at the roof. What was this aching in my chest? This urge I couldn't control? I _wanted _to talk to her. But I knew it was pointless. She would be sent into the arena within a few days, and there was nothing either of us could do about. I jumped out of bed and went for a walk, hoping that I could just walk off these nagging feelings. The halls were dark, barely lit by the lamplight in the living room. I could still smell the snapper we had eaten earlier stinging the air. It was too quiet. I didn't like the quiet. Not when I so badly wanted to scream. My legs took me to the staircase that was always my escape during these grueling days. I took them again, appreciating their consistency, and went up to the roof, inhaling a gust of fresh air.

I was free, or at least, the closest I'll ever be to free.

I began walking, slowly, over to the edge of the roof when I saw a shadow sitting on the edge. Hair blowing madly in the wind. My heart lurched, I was even compelled to leave, but I was even more compelled to approach her.

"Mind if I sit here?" I asked, trying to sound smooth. _Trying? I am smooth._

Her face arched up towards me and nodded, "Not at all. I actually wouldn't mind the company."

Something began to build up in my chest, but I ignored it. "Are you alright? You were kind of..quiet at dinner."

I can see her eyes narrow, still directed at the infinite night sky in front of us. "It's just…a case of the jitters, that's all."

"Because of the interview coming up? Or the games?"

I could see her shoulders tense. "Both."

I sat beside her, kicking my feet out in front of me next to hers. "You're not a career, are you?"

She made a small noise at the back of her throat, like a humorless laugh, "Yeah, right."

"Don't laugh. You don't have to be a career to win this." The firmness of my voice caught her attention, and now I can see her. The moonlight casting shadow underneath her cheekbones, the stars leaving bright circles of light in her striking green eyes.

"It's true. I wasn't. And I'm alive…at least, I think so."

She laughed. "I'd hope so, if not, everyone's been seeing a ghost."

"It'd be such a waste if I were see-through."

She couldn't tell if I was kidding or not, which I wasn't – it would be a tremendous waste – but I usually got a laugh from it. We sat in silence for a little. She stared up at the full moon illuminating the rooftops as I stared at her, from the corner of my eye.

"I probably shouldn't tell you this." She began, her voice soft.

"You can trust me. That's what I'm here for. You know, being your mentor and all."

The side of her mouth twitched, "Which is why I _shouldn't _tell you this." And then she looked at me, her eyes sincere and expecting as if she finally decided she could trust me.

"I know I'm not going to make it out there." She said definitively, as if there really were no other option.

"Annie –"

"No." she stopped me. I wouldn't have, but there was a sort of persistence in her voice that I couldn't ignore. "If any of us are going to win, it'd be Lucas. He's been training his whole life…" her voice trailed off after that, and I didn't know what else to do but hold her gaze. Her eyes had darkened, like an ocean bracing itself for a thunderstorm. As if it were an unconscious effort, my hand, just inches from her on the gravel, slid over and landed on her fingertips. She looked down, surprised, and then back at me.

"I wouldn't give up hope so easily if I were you, Annie Cresta."

She blushed, the pinkness in her cheeks visible through her sun-kissed skin. "Why not?"

I drew in breath, wondering why my mind was racing and having difficulty putting words together. "Because…I was just like you once."

Our fingertips were still touching, the nerves buzzing and jolting up my arm. "I wasn't a career. I never thought I'd get chosen. I mean, does anyone really ever expect it?" for a moment I didn't see her, I saw Azure, and the faces of the other tributes that I had killed. "Mags knew I was good at one thing. I could wield a trident like it was nobody's business."

Annie laughed.

"So she got me one. She wont tell me, not until this very day, but I know it was one of the biggest sacrifices she had ever had to make. Tridents aren't easy to come by. They're costly to make, and there are very few out there. But she managed it. All because I had her, looking out for me. That's what I'm going to do for you, Annie. I'm going to look after you."

The way she was looking at me made whatever it was that was building up in my chest before, practically explode. Her eyes darted back and forth, searching my face. And then a gust of wind blew past us, throwing brown hair on her face and I couldn't let it ruin the moment so I reached up with my free hand, and gently pushed it away. Her eyes widened, but this time, it wasn't because she was scared of me. I couldn't quite tell how she felt, but I knew it wasn't fear. My hand lingered on her face, millimeters away from her cheek and I wondered if she would let me go further and touch it. It was so tempting, especially with that blush creeping across her face. But before I could go any further, she turned away.

"How…how old were you, when you were reaped?"

My hand fell limply at my side, still feeling the proximity of her skin against it. "Fourteen."

"And it's been five years since then…"she said thoughtfully. "You were two years younger than I am now."

"I honestly don't know how I did it. Luck? I don't know."

"I saw your games, I remember them because you were so close to my age. You were so close to winning, and I was rooting for you because you gave me hope – that if I were chosen the next year or maybe even the next, I would have a chance at winning, too."

Her words surprised me. She remembered me from the games?

"And, where has your hope gone?"

She blinked twice and her eyes were shining amongst the stars, extinguishing their light in comparison. "I grew up. Reality happened and it just…disappeared."

After feeling the fidgeting her fingers beneath mine, I spoke carefully, leaving no room for deliberation. "I don't believe that."

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**A/N: Here you go my lovelies (: Thanks for all of your reviews, you've all been so tremendously sweet. By the way, if there's any suggestions or something your particularly interested in seeing for this story, let me know! Don't forget to review!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8-**annie

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That was it. That was precisely the reason why I was going to lose. I believed people too easily. I had never been raised in the mutiny of starvation or distrust. If someone was convincing enough, I'd believe them; and with anything as handsome as Finnick, I was twice as fast. The next morning, I hear a knock on my door. Half-expecting it to be Finnick, my chest tightens reluctantly and I wrap my blankets over my nightgown.

"Annie?"

It _was_ him. Suddenly, I could feel my cheeks tingle, the sensation of his touch last night sending shivers down my spine.

"Yes?" I said, my voice shaky. I dug my fists into the sheets in an effort to toughen myself up. I was such a bumbling fool. And now that he knew how I really felt, I'm sure he rushed back to Mags and together, crossed me off as pathetic and weak.

The door slid open slightly, half of his face in the light and the rest in shadow. "There's training today. Wear something you can fight in." he said, smiling. But there was something as he said it, his eyes were sad, for just a second, but I caught it.

I hastily nodded and waited until he shut the door to throw the sheets aside and head to the closet. I chose dark brown pants and a loose white tunic. Towards the back I found a pair of knee-high leather boots that seemed menacing enough. If I didn't have the skills to leave the other tributes threatened, I would at least look the part. I realized something after my conversation with Finnick yesterday. After finally saying it all out loud, I felt pathetic; as if I were letting everyone down. What would Avan say to hear that his sister had given up so easily?

Lucas was already done eating. It seemed that Costas meant to wake me up earlier, but Finnick had asked to let me sleep a little longer. I couldn't control the faint smile involuntarily creeping on my face. Lucas's eyebrows knitted together when he explained it to me, upset that he wasn't allowed the extra time to sleep too.

Finnick and Mags had been talking somewhere else in the tower, because when they turned a corner into the dining room, their voices quieted. The room smelt of warm biscuits and oranges. It was the only thing adding the slightest allure to it, because the rest of our temporary apartment was stark white, with steely gray furniture. I had never seen a place so cold and distant in my life. A boy with coppery, red hair put a plate in front of me and I thanked him. Avan had told me about the avoxes that were forced to work here. It was just another version of the Capitol's slavery. They'd cut their tongues off and forever remove their ability to speak. I couldn't help but feel sympathetic towards him, that is, until I felt the seat beside her move. My heart jumped to my throat, and when I turned in that direction, it was only Mags. I went in search of him, and noticed him sitting across from me, next to Costas who was undoubtedly boring him with a story of how purple was the latest fad in skin color.

When Lucas finished eating, I decided I couldn't eat another bite. I was too nervous to eat. Instead, I bit on an apple and some strawberries. I hadn't looked at Finnick while we ate, on the off chance that i might throw up if I had any other reason to add to my nerves –but before anything like that happened, it was time to go. We all made our way to the elevator, Mags and Costas leading up ahead while Finnick walked behind me. Just the sound of his soft but steady footsteps behind me made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. Mags clicked on the red bottom that would bring us the steely contraption. I watched Lucas confidently stride forward, eagerly anticipating its arrival when Finnick came up closer behind me.

"Make sure you learn a little bit of everything." He gently said into my ear, "Find what you're good at, and master it, that'll give you an edge."

I looked up at him, his face closer than I had predicted. "What about the careers?" I asked him, soft enough that no one else could hear.

His bright, green eyes revealed just a hint of hesitation before he spoke again, now closer to the side of my face than before. "Try to join them, if you think you're up to it."

I nodded, my gaze set on the reflective doors. I could see him right behind me, his eyes trained on me, just inches away and then they opened, hindering my view. I set off to walk when I felt his hand on the small of my back, guide me inside, letting go when I turned around to face them all. I tried to hide my surprise, but I wasn't so sure I did because he smirked just before the doors shut. I suddenly shivered.

"Cold?" asked Lucas incredulously. It was very warm within the small enclosed space.

I didn't respond. Just smiled so that he knew I had taken notice of his concern.

The training arena was frightening. There were weapons scattered everywhere, and there were already some other tributes in combat with adults dressed in black. Two others arrived right after us, brushing past my shoulder as they proceeded into the gym. It was the red-heads from district two. It was stupid, but I couldn't shake off the strength in that shove. What would they be like in the arena? I inwardly shuddered. A tall woman named Atala addressed us all as a group, calling the tributes that had already begun to. She explained the rules against entering combat with each other, and to travel to the sections our mentors had described. As soon as she finished, the tributes dispersed all falling into different directions. Unconsciously, Lucas and I began to move together.

Being from district four, I wasn't familiar with many of the weapons. I recognized the rope, which I easily maneuvered from my experience on the shipping yard with Avan and my dad. I knew how to do most of the knots the trainer was teaching us, and she began to take notice, even asking me if I could teach her something I had made that she hadn't seen before. Lucas wasn't as successful; he wasn't brought up around the fishery like I was. He was trained with weapons and so when it came time to handle swords, I was lost.

I watched a girl from district three fight with a man in black as if she had been doing it her whole life. Her long blonde hair was picked up into a high bun, and she had big blue eyes. At first sight, she almost looked innocent, but it didn't take much longer to realize the deadly fire in her eyes. He was easily defeated, and she threw her sword on the ground, pleased with herself. I noticed Lucas leave my side, and I was about to follow him, but decided against it. There was no way I was going to stand my own ground if I constantly depended on Lucas.

"Ever played with a sword before?" she asked me, unceremoniously catching me off guard. I bit my tongue to stop the sound forming in my throat.

"Not really, but doesn't look hard." I said, putting my highest efforts in keeping my voice steady and strong.

She scoffed, "It doesn't look like you've ever even touched a weapon."

I met her eyes, "Easily fooled by appearances?"

She raised her thin eyebrows as if I had somehow impressed her. "I'm Nixie."

"Annie." I responded, not bothering to offer my hand. "What district are you from?" I already knew, but thought I'd ask anyway. She was clearly a career.

"Three." She said confidently, crossing her arms over her chest, "You're four aren't you?"

"Yeah." I watched Lucas as he took a turn with the man, pretending to be indifferent when I was actually taking mental notes.

"Yeah, I remember your costumes. The crowd seemed to like it." Her voice was sour, hinting at jealousy, but Nixie knew better than to show vulnerability. It quickly subsided.

I smirked, "Yeah, I noticed." My gaze had drifted over to Nixie's district partner, "Helia's a genius, isn't he?"

The girl kept her face smooth. "That's Birch."He was tall, about six foot four, with a burly build. He was the tallest here.

I nodded in recognition, "Lucas is my district partner. The blonde one over there."

Her face flickered, I couldn't quite tell why. And then Lucas was walking over to me.

"You going to try?"

The training section was empty, except for us and Birch, who was busy examining other types of swords. "Sure, yeah."

He looked at me wearily. I could tell he was worried. Of all the people here, Lucas knew what I was hiding: I had no idea how to handle a sword. The possibility of him knowing too much of my weakness struck me as a concern. He could use it in the arena, when he decided to turn on me.

The trainer greeted me, calling herself Adolpha, and handed me a sword. She taught me how to hold it, something I had already picked up from watching Nixie and Lucas, and then how to thrust it forward to achieve maximum impact. These weapons were made to kill, and the thought of me ever killing someone made me cringe. I didn't think I'd be able to claim anothers life, it wasn't mine to take away.

Once we'd covered the basics, she let me practice. Surprisingly, it wasn't as difficult as I thought. My thin arms were graceful and quick, agile even. The strength must've come from all those years of throwing nets into the water and then picking them up with loads of fish. It slipped out of my hand once, but I quickly ducked and snatched it up, throwing it in front of the trainers oncoming blow. The impact reached from the tips of my fingers, all the way through to my shoulders. But at least I was able to keep my hold up, steady and strong, until it was my turn to quickly jerk to the right and jab at his side. Unexpected and quick. I had found what I was good at.

Lucas grinned back at me, while Nixie scrutinized me, looking me over and then at Birch to study his reaction. I joined them. "What next?"

"Lets try the spears." Nixie suggested, challenging me.

"Lets."

Lucas eyed me curiously, probably wondering what had come over me. Truthfully, I wouldn't know how to answer. Either way, I was too busy watching a boy from seven skewer a mannequin with a spear. He heard us approaching and lowered his spear when we were a few feet away.

"Alec, District eight." He said calmly, outstretching his hand.

Lucas took it, introducing himself and I did the same. Nixie and Birch ignored his hand, but said their names.

"It's been a while since I've thrown one of these, but it doesn't seem like I'm too out of practice, does it?" And for a moment I thought he winked at me, before he threw the dawdling spear, straight into the mannequins heart with frightening precision.

Lucas nodded in approval, "Nice shot."

"I know." He said, not a trace of sarcasm in his voice, just sincere confidence.

Nixie picked up the spear at her feet, "My turn." And Birch followed her, leaving the space beside me empty until Alec re-located himself there.

I tried not to notice when he leaned down towards me, but I couldn't ignore the words he gently whispered into my ear. "You're pretty."

His proximity sent an unwelcome shiver down my spine, and when I looked up, met his blue_blue_ eyes. They weren't like Nixies, his looked dangerous. But the worst part is, it was an alluring danger.

"That's nice to notice. Especially since we're going to be trying to kill each other in a few days."

He laughed. It was deep and throaty, he must've been older because of the maturity in his voice.

"Doesn't mean we can't enjoy the days in between." He said, his face looking down at mine, as he tucked a strand of black hair behind his ear.

I snorted. "Yeah, right."

"We'll have some privacy when we're the last two left in the arena. Then, maybe, we can even go on a date."

I tried to control my face. He was twisted _and_ crazy. Was he planning on ending the date with a spear through my stomach? Instead, I smirked, as seductively as I could muster (desperately hoping it didn't come out lopsided) and turned away.

We went to two other stations with Alec, leaving Nixie behind at the camouflage station, before going to grab lunch at noon. It had been such a tiresome day already, and it was nowhere near over. I sat down beside Lucas, hoping I could get some alone time to speak to him, but was left disappointed when Alec slipped beside me. Another girl sat across from us, she looked just like Alec. Black hair, eyes the same color as a sun-lit sky, and standing at about 5'9".

"This is my sister, Isabelle."

My breath caught. They were _related_? Alec and Isabelle had to kill each other. Brother and sister: how could you kill someone you were raised with? I would never lay a hand on Avan. But then again, I was never really forced to.

Isabelle smiled, taking a bite of her sandwich. "I'm starved."

Alec looked at her smiling, "When aren't you 'starved'?"

She glared at him playfully. "Whatever Alec. Are you going to eat that?"

He put his hands up, sliding a plate of roasted potato squares to her.

How could they be acting so normal? They would be fighting against each other in a few days. Just when I was beginning to think I had it bad, I couldn't help but empathize with the siblings from district seven. It was going to be harder to kill them now. Then I noticed something I hadn't seen before. It was a girl, skinny and underfed, eating by herself in a table off to the side. She was the girl from district 12. Her eyes were sullen and a haunting shade of gray, her hair as black as the night sky. There was something off about her, and then her eyes fell on me. I was about to look away, when I noticed the white, dazed look covering her eyes. She was blind.

I couldn't eat much more after that, but I knew I needed some time away so I ran to the edible plants section. Alec, unfortunately, followed me.

Dagan and Lotus, the tributes from one, were already there. I hadn't been able to get these two out of my head since the night I watched the reapings. They were just as large in person as they appeared on tv. Alec took a seat right next to Dagan, earning him a disdainful stare from the large teenager, which he seemed to shrug off and grinned.

I hadn't known him for more than an hour, but something told me he wasn't afraid to take a risk.

I paid close attention to everything, keeping my ears open for any hints of what we would expect there. He covered basics, flowers, herbs, but there was a consistency in his selection. They all belonged to a humid, tropical climate. That meant that there was a chance there would be fish, in which case, I'd have some sort of chance after all.

That night is just as rattling as the one before. I couldn't even sleep and surprisingly, Alec and Isabelle kept creeping into my thoughts. I needed air. I grabbed a sweater, remembering the wind of the previous night, and tip toed out of my room, wholeheartedly knowing Mags would disapprove. She had specifically stated that we get our rest tonight, and I needed it, but it just wouldn't come. I went down the hall and opened the very last door. I could instantly feel the invisible chain that was clasped onto my arms and legs lighten, and it was as if I were free for a little while. The night was peaceful, unlike yesterday. Instead, there was a cool, welcome breeze flowing in between the strands of my hair, lifting it up. I ventured further today, making my way to the garden. I didn't expect to see a large, black butterfly flutter past me or that there were living creatures here. I just assumed the Capitol like their wildlife the way they liked their districts, dead or hidden.

Then I noticed there was a small pond somewhere inside the maze of bushes and shrubs. I zigzged my way through, a smile painted on my face. That's what I needed, I needed to see water. I needed to be reminded of home, of days out fishing with my dad and Avan. There was a figure standing stiffly in front of it, and I slowed down. For a moment, I was scared it would be Alec or another tribute, but then I saw the golden strands that had to belong to Finnick.

"Hey." I said as I found my way next to him.

He looked down at me, his face sleepy as if he were in a dream-like reverie. "Did you make any friends today?"

"Sort of, not with the careers tho, sorry. I mean there was one, the pair from district three. I'm not sure if they liked me though."

"Make sure they do. You're going to need them if you want to make it….far enough."

I felt my stomach turn. _Far enough?_

"I spoke to Johanna today, the mentor for District seven. Apparently Alec was quite taken with you. He and Isabelle want to form an alliance." His voice was distant when he spoke.

"What do you think?"

"_no." _he shook his head, "What do _you_ think? When you're out there, I'm not going to be there to make decisions for you. Do you think you can trust them?"

I was slightly taken aback by the firmness in his voice. I wanted to sound like that too and give him a resolved, yes or no answer, but I had already revealed my secrets to Finnick the night before. I wanted to tell him the truth.

"I wont be able to kill them."

He had awakened from his dream sequence. "What?"

I looked up at him, "They're siblings, did you know that?"

His body stiffened, but he didn't say anything. "I told you to form an alliance with strong players, not feel sorry for them, Annie."

"I know." I said, angry that I had let myself care for Alec and Isabelle. It was stupid.

I felt his hand on my bare shoulder. It was like I had been injected with an electric current. "I couldn't even imagine what it'd be like…"

"I don't think I want to." I finished.

"Annie," he said, almost urgently, "How did you do with the weapons?"

"I was okay with the knives and swords….and the knot-tying. Paid a lot of attention to the edible plants section and it seemed like he kept talking about tropical plants….do you think that could be a hint?"

"Maybe." He said somberly.

Why was he acting this way? Last night, Finnick was urging me to have hope, to fight for my survival. Now, it was as if he had completely changed his mind. Had they finally made the logical decision and chosen to keep Lucas alive? It was obvious that he would be the one with the better chance of survival.

"Anything else?" he asked, his eyes lazily scanning the pond, the reflection of the water making them look like ice.

"Yes. Sometime today, I lost something."

That seemed to have caught his attention. "What?"

"The faith my mentor used to have in me."

Finnick's breath caught. He probably wasn't expecting that. I wasn't even expecting to say it. I was never one to be so outspoken, but I guess the deadline on my life had shifted my perspective on things.

"No I haven't, what are you talking about Annie?" he asked, not sounding angry, but rather pleading for an answer.

"Did you finally realize I wasn't strong enough to make it? That was quick."

"Annie-."

"Save it, Finnick. I don't care." I said, the words sounding too harsh for my gentle voice.

"Annie!" I heard him call after me, but I kept walking. I didn't want him to see the tears.

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**A/N: Review? (: And yes, if there's any mortal instruments fans out there, I got my inspiration for Alec and Isabelle from there!**


	9. Chapter 9

**chapter 9- **Finnick

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I went back to my room and paced the floor. I needed to talk to her. I had just two more days with her, and I already had her upset at me. If this were any other situation, I wouldn't chase. I would be chased. But I was on a time limit. A ticking clock that was meant to explode any minute now, and I didn't do well with time restrictions. Now I was in front of her door, my arm raised, just inches apart…

Was it appropriate for a mentor to do this? There really weren't any rules about it. I knocked, very softly, hoping no one else would hear.

Nothing.

I waited a little more, impatiently shifting my weight from leg to leg, when I heard a small pair of footsteps, and then the doorknob twisting open. She looked up at me with expectant eyes, but underneath I could see the hurt.

"I'm sorry, that didn't come out the way I wanted it to." I said in a whisper, really hoping there wasn't anyone else having as much trouble sleeping as we were. "Can I come in? Just for a second."

Her expression held some speculation, and after a moment's deliberation, she slid the door open enough for me to sidle through. She closed the door and leaned against it, arms crossed over her chest, waiting for my proposed explanation.

"I just…" I began to stammer, "I'm worried, okay? I'm scared that…"

"And I'm not?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, I mean yes, of course you are!" I told her, putting a hand through my blonde hair, "It's just that - I know this is really un-mentor like to say but - I want _you_ to be the one that comes out of this." Annie's eyes widened in surprise; surely, she would tell Lucas that I had an unfair bias, and then the Capitol would find out, and probably hang me or something.

She drew a hand to her forehead and walked across me to her bed, pulling the white, embroidered sheets around her thin frame. "Finnick." She said, sounding distraught and a bit desperate.

"What is it?" I said nervously, inching closer towards her. Was she hurt at the arena today?

She withdrew her hand, looking at me as she screwed up her face. "The girl from District twelve." She said slowly, as if pacing herself for breath, "She's _blind."_ Her voice was strained, as if she were trying hard not to cry.

I looked at her sadly. I knew this, we all did. Johanna had commented earlier about how she shouldn't have even been allowed to be here in the first place. It was obvious she wouldn't make it past the first few minutes in the arena. As painful as it was to admit, she was right.

"I know." I told her in a whisper, watching her expression change from utter sadness to one of defeat. She looked so helpless, and before I realized it, I was walking towards the opposite side of the bed and climbing in beside her, holding her in my arms. Her head fell into my shoulder and after some hesitation she dug her hands into the fabric on my chest. I could hear her muffled sobs and feel the slight trembling in her body, so I held her closer and rubbed a soothing hand over her back – trying to ignore the sudden palpitations in my chest. I don't know how long we sat like this, but it had been a while. Eventually, her tears subsided and I could feel her breathing steady.

"You should get some sleep." I said into her hair, stroking her shoulder.

"I don't want to sleep." She said, her voice soft.

I considered this for a moment, knowing that if she lost sleep now, it would mean she'd be weaker for the games. I was about to tell her to sleep, force her even, but a little voice in my head wouldn't let me. I was far too selfish, and for that, I shouldn't even deserve this moment.

"Neither do I."

I felt her head fall into the crook of my neck, where her breath landed like a brush of a feather against my collarbone. I wondered why I was so drawn to her and what made her so different from the other girls I had mentored. They had been attractive, with the exception of the thirteen year old I had trained about two years ago because that was just wrong to even consider, and more than one had been interested in me. I had never pursed them. Being a teenager, I wanted to, but I knew better than that. There was Lacey though, I reminded myself. Lacey had come to me after the whirlwind of winning my own games, just a year later. I was still inexperienced and confused; still traumatized by the death of Azure at the time. But Lacey was real and right in front of me. She had no shame and had even confessed that she thought I was the most handsome boy she had ever seen; ever since she had seen me get chosen at the reaping. I was fifteen at the time, and she was seventeen: a confident career. I had only kissed a girl once before, but she wasn't anything like Lacey. I lost something very precious of mine to her on the night before the games began and now, sitting like this with Annie, was the first time I had begun to regret it.

"Do you remember Azure?" I said softly, almost as if I had no control of what I was saying.

Annie's head shifted, "She was the other tribute from four during your games, wasn't she?"

I smiled weakly, wondering if whether telling Annie about her was a good idea. "I owe her everything you know. She never knew how crucial she was to my victory, if you can even call it that." I moved my hand down to her hand, clasping her fingers in mine. "I followed her every move, but I'm not sure she even noticed. She was always a step ahead, strategizing. The way she had the capitol in the palm of her hands…we had dozens of sponsors. From the very beginning, she was pointed out as the favorite. I knew she was going to win." I noticed how soft Annie's hands were next to mine and how they seemed to will me further, "There were just three of us left. Azure and I had had joined the careers in the beginning, but she began to kill them off, one by one. I was scared I was next, so I ran away.

"She never found me, but I was following her. She was the toughest one to beat. At that point, Mags had already found me a trident, and yes, I had already used it. I still remember the faces of those that I killed. The surprise, the panic that their life was over – because of me."

I felt Annie's hands squeeze mine tightly. "The third tribute remaining was a boy from district one. I had seen him approaching her, but I knew she hadn't noticed. She had hurt her leg from climbing up a rocky mountain that held the cornucopia. She had set her leg down in a small pond to clean the wound, and I remember the water being so red. She was bleeding too much. I wanted to help her, I really did. But then I thought of my mom, how she was all alone and there was no one to take care of her. So I kept my position hidden. He was so quick, it was only until he was directly behind her that I realized he was there. She had just turned around, a knife in her hand and stabbed him in the leg. He fell down and for a terrifying moment I thought she would kill him, and that I would have to kill her. But then, still injured, he crawled over – neither was healthy enough to stand – and pinned her to the floor…."

"You don't have to tell me the rest." Annie began, her hand drawing circles on my wrist with her thumb.

"I want to." I told her, surprising myself. "I've never told anyone before, about how it happened."

She nodded and I could feel her bright eyes staring right through me.

"I think she saw me. I know she did. I had come out from behind the rock, trident in hand, not really sure why. I couldn't tell if I was planning on saving her or if I was waiting for the moment he killed her to attack him. But she saw me, and her face….I've never forgotten her face. It was twisted in pain and terror, but she was still strong. But then she looked at me in relief, as if she was _glad_ to see that I was still alive." My throat was tight and there were tears unwillingly forming behind my eyes, "And then she said my name. it was so low I thought I had imagined it…but her lips were moving….He stabbed her then, right through the heart." I tasted the saltiness of a tear come in contact with my mouth, and then I knew I was crying and hadn't realized it. "I killed him. I had never been so consumed with anger in my entire life and I went running straight towards him, digging the trident straight into his back several times."

Annie had her arms around me, and from the unevenness of her breathing I could tell she was crying too. "The games, it does things to you. Things to your mind and your feelings. You forget you're even human."

She inhaled deeply, "You're fighting for survival, Finnick. It's an unnatural situation to be placed in, so you react in unnatural ways."

"Annie –" I removed my hand from hers and grabbed her shoulders then, looking into her face. There were shadows cast on her face and there was something in her green eyes that I couldn't quite place. "I don't want that to happen to you Annie. No matter what happens, you have to stay _human_. Do you understand me?" there was a sense of urgency in my voice.

She nodded, never breaking our gaze. Her hand reached for me, her fingertips brushing the side of my face. It was as if her touch was the remedy to all my problems. I closed my hand over hers and leaned into it, hoping she would never let go. And she didn't, not until we fell asleep – safe in each other's arms.

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**A/N: Thank you for your reviews (: I love reading them! Please keep them coming x**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**– Annie

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The light of dawn crept through the blinds of my room, shedding unwanted light over my closed lids. My head was on a pillow, although I remembered that it was on something else when I had fallen asleep. My cheeks burned like fire. Finnick.

I lay in bed for another minute, recalling last nights events and wondering how we would act around each other today. What had gotten into me? I barely knew him, and here I was allowing him to snuggle up to me in my bed! I blamed it on the instability of my state. Not once had I forgotten my impending death, and so I was probably doing things I normally would never have allowed before. He was just so stable and _real_. Having him near was like allowing myself to push those thoughts aside for just a little, and when he left, it was like they came back into focus. I wanted to push them aside, I wanted them out of my mind. Two days, I reminded myself. Just two more days until we're all thrown into the arena to kill each other. The games were beyond my abilities, I knew that, but I would do what I can for as long as I could. In stark contrast to yesterday, I was eager to get back into the gymnasium today. I wanted to hone my skills with the sword, and more interestingly, learn how to properly use a spear. Not that I hadn't used one before, but it was always for fishing purposes. I needed to learn how to hurl one into a human being.

Finnick sat beside me at breakfast, but we didn't talk, unless it was being addressed to the group. Today I ate a little more, filling my stomach and feeling my strength rejuvenate. I needed it for today. I would train until my body gave out. I was full before the others, and leaned back in my seat to study my team. Costas was animatedly talking to Mags, commenting on how savory the sausage links were today and Lucas was talking about his ability to throw a spear from yards away. Mags congratulated him, and so did Finnick, but I could tell he didn't mean it, and once more, the guilt in his face for not meaning it. Lucas looked at me this time, asking me what I thought about the others.

"The pair from District one are, rather, large." I said, my voice sounding more condemning than scared.

Lucas snorted, "She's a beast. But don't worry – they don't seem very smart at all." He took a gulp of orange juice, "Now, Alec and Isabelle, those two we better watch out for."

It was strange the way he use the word 'we' when we both knew that the day after tomorrow, the only thing we'll be considered with would be our very own safety. He continued to speak, "I think Alec was trying to warm up to you. Maybe form an alliance."

My shoulders tensed as I suddenly remembered the chill of hearing his voice in my ear. _You're pretty._ He had told me. I hoped that my face hadn't given anything away.

"I think so too. I don't know if we can trust him though." I said, using the word 'we' again. Just to ensure the possibility that me and him would at least team up in the beginning.

"He looks smart enough. We'll try to gauge him further today." Said Lucas with a smirk. "Now about Isabelle." He began to say, the smirk widening into a grin.

"I knew you liked her." I said, a smile on my face too. Joking with Lucas this way, it made it almost seem as if we were hurtling the games out the window for just a little while. Mags raised an eyebrow. "Are those the siblings form seven?"

I nodded. "We spoke to them, and then the careers from district three."

"Good." Finnick answered attentively, "The Careers are strong; they'll be good allies."I recalled him telling him that they hadn't liked me much last night; so I knew he was putting forth his best efforts at acting normally.

Mags nodded in ascension. "You can at least use their supplies at first. They'll surely get plenty of sponsors – not that you two wont." She corrected, then glanced at Finnick. "Finnick has a way with sponsors. You two won't have any shortage there."

My eyes drifted up to him, and he was smiling at Mags, but his eyes were dark, troubled. We spoke for a few more minutes after that. Lucas finished up his third helping of food and somewhere in between, I felt Finnick's hand reach out to me underneath the table. My hand found his and our fingers, like magnets, intertwined. I didn't think I could ever get used to the sparks that travelled up and down my arm at the slightest feeling of his touch.

At the gymnasium, we were greeted by Alec and Isabelle. I noticed that they trained separately, rarely ever crossing paths until lunch, where they sat together. I went back to the spear-throwing station and allowed the instructor to teach me more. My first attempt at hitting the target was way off, but at the second, my aim had greatly improved and I made it hit the lower half. It wasn't as different from a fish as I had thought. Then I heard someone come up behind me. The instructor fumbled for words and he stuttered nervously. I turned around wondering what caused such a reaction and saw the girl from District twelve feeling around the area for something. I would've ignored her. I should've ignored her. But I couldn't.

I approached her, the wooden rod still gripped in my palms. "Do you want a spear?"

Her eyes darted around, searching for the source, but her ears were aimed at me. I could tell she knew I was coming before I was too close. She might not be able to see but her other senses were more skillfully trained than the rest of ours.

She reached her hand out and grabbed the front end. "It's a good one." She said, feeling it with both hands. Her fingers slid up towards the razor-blade edge. "Big."

I nodded, forgetting she couldn't see me, and then added, "Yeah. I'd say it's a decent size." I looked over at the instructor for approval. He gave me a thumbs up.

"Would you like me to teach you how to use it, twelve?" he asked.

Her face tilted at his direction. "I know how to use it." She said sharply. "Where's the target."

"About 100 yards to your right." I said.

She positioned her body, her fingers still sliding up and down the wooden rod before hoisting it up to shoulder-height and hurling it forward. She hit the head of the dummy. I was astonished.

"Where'd it hit?" she asked.

"On the forehead." The instructor told her, handing her another one. "Want to see if you can get closer to the heart?"

I still couldn't get used to how lightly the instructors talked about killing, as if they found nothing at all wrong with it. The girl from twelve nodded, remembering her prior position, and hurled it forward again. This time, so strongly, I could feel the wind from the blow.

"Now?"

"Collar bone."

She shrugged, "Close enough." And then added, "What district are you?"

"Four. I'm Annie. Annie Cresta."

"Paisley Gray from district twelve."

Annie didn't say anything. Instead she grabbed a spear and pulled it shoulder-height, just like Paisley had done, and leaned back a little, right foot in front of the left, and threw it. The heart. She had hurled it straight into the dummy's heart.

"Nice job." The instructor congratulated her, then busied himself with Birch, from District three, who had just walked in. Paisley gave me another glance, her hazy eyes perched in my direction but not directly at me, and left. Birch was next to me. With his body towering mind and the weapon expertly held in his hand, I almost had to fight the urge to run, but he ignored me and began to toss spears.

I reunited with Lucas at the archery section. He had been travelling with Isabelle, and they were looking oddly comfortable around each other. I wondered if Lucas had any idea what he was getting himself into. But then he shot me an excited smile and called me over. "What have you been up to?" he asked when I was in front of him.

"Oh you know, vandalizing things. How about you?"

He laughed. "I think I've finally got the edible plants section down."

I was about to say something when Alec blocked the space between us. "Hello there."

I stared at him, wondering if he really was as insane as he appeared. "I was in the middle of a conversation."

He glanced back at Lucas, who was already commenting on the other tributes with Isabelle, and then back at me. "And I interrupted it."

"You're a quick one aren't you?"

He smirked, putting his arm around my shoulders and leading me further into the space. "What are you doing later?"

I couldn't help the look of incredulity that flooded into my face. "Are you serious?"

He shrugged, haphazardly lifting an arrow from the ground and examining it. "Very much so."

"You know," I began, pointing a finger at him in disbelief, "I thought maybe, just maybe, you weren't really as crazy as you looked. But you are, you _really_ are."

He laughed, but it was the saddest laugh I had ever heard, before gripping my wrist when I began to walk off. "It's the wrong circumstances, I know. But I can't help it." He was serious now."There's no turning back and we're all going to be sent off into the arena the day after tomorrow. Is it so bad that I don't want to be thrown in there without giving this a go?"

"_A go_? You want to give it a go?" I nearly laughed, "Look, Alec, I think it'd be the best thing if we just avoided each other until then." I pulled my hand away from him. "Actually, it might be better if we just avoided each other until one of us...dies." And then my voice died down to a whisper. "Because I don't think I'll be able to kill you."

And then I stalked off. Wanting to punch myself in the face for telling him that. I'm stupid. Of course he's going to come after me now. I'm an easy target! So much for pretending to be a closeted killer. It wasn't because I had feelings for him. In brutal honestly, I _did_ think he was a bit mad but there was something we had in common: we were both clinging on to normalcy. He was doing with me what I was doing with Finnick: trying to forget the inevitable. I could feel the tears stinging at my eyes as I walked into the cafeteria, picking up a tray of food and setting it down on the table furthest from view. Why was this_ so_ hard?

The day went by faster than expected, and I was soon back on the fourth floor of the tower, with dinner being served in front of me.

"So what was Alec talking to you about earlier?" asked Lucas curiously, ignoring his food for a moment.

I hesitated. "Er…when?"

Finnick was across from me, attentively staring.

"Right after I called you over in the archery section, when he pulled you aside?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, hoping my voice didn't sound as pitchy to them as it did to me. "He…was just asking me if I was any good with a bow."

"Why? Does he want to figure out your strategy? Your weaknesses?" asked Finnick with urgency.

I looked down at the chicken on my plate, "Maybe. I guess so." Lying came easier than I thought.

"Annie." His green eyes were intent on mines, "Don't tell him _anything_."

"Of course not!" I retorted.

Costas looked at him with eager eyes, "Finnick, you've been very uptight lately."

Finnick didn't bother looking at him. "Well, there hasn't been much to joke about lately has there? Unless you want me to comment on how your hair looks like –"

"Nevermind." Interrupted Coastas with the slightest wave of his hand, "And it's the latest trend. You look positively dull in comparison."

To that, Finnick allowed himself a small smirk that within seconds dwindled into seriousness. And then I feel a dull throbbing at the pit of my stomach and wonder if its because of me. Of course it is, it _has_ to. The piercing blue eyes that belong to Alec flash across my mind and I wonder if I had hurt him. If his last day before the torment had been slightly ruined because of me. But then I wondered if Finnick had caught on to something, although there wasn't anything going on, not really. Not on my end.

I tried to catch his eyes but he was busy playing with the vegetables on his plate. What was I doing? I was going to die and allowing myself the privileges that belonged to those who had the opportunity of a longer life. If Finnick felt anything like I did, I was going to make my televised death much harder for him than it should be. I set my fork down, deciding that the revulsion would only be worsened with food. I was in no mood to do anything. I wanted to cry. I wanted to the world to stop spinning. I wanted to be back home. My fingers closed over the fabric of my trousers, clutching on to something – trying to get through the painful throbbing in my body. I started seeing things, memories. I could see Avan's face through my half-closed lids. I would probably never see him again. I would never see my parents again, or my friends. Every bit of pain and longing and heart-wrenching sadness I hadn't felt since the reaping came rushing at me, coursing through my veins, unstoppable. My vision blurred for a moment and I held on to the fabric tighter, my nails digging into my skin underneath. I had to leave, go to my room, anywhere but here. When I tried to stand, I was plagued with dizziness, losing balance before I felt hands grab onto my elbows. Strong, capable hands; hands that would surely hold it's own amidst the brutality of the arena.

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked urgently, propping me up. I could see now. Mags in front of me, her eyes wide and in alarm. Lucas beside me, clutching at my arm. Costas at the head of the table, standing wearing an expression similar to the one Mags sported. Finnick was…gone.

I pulled my hand away from him, "Thanks Lucas, I'm fine. Just tired." I tried to not sound battered and invalid, but my body wasn't agreeing with reason.

And then I felt someone take hold of my other arm. Finnick.

"C'mon, let's get you to your room." He said softly, yet loud enough for everyone to hear.

All I could see was the depths of shining green oceans in his eyes. The way the beach by my house would look when the water was transparent enough to see the sandy bottom and the sun was high in the sky. Not a single cloud fighting for a spot in the sky. It belonged solely to the sun on those days. My feet began walking as I let Finnick lead me away, but my thoughts had drifted. Fillippa and I would go out and swim around for shells on those days. Mother would worry because I had the tendency to go off into the deep, but it seemed so harmless. After all, as long as the bottom was visible enough, there wasn't anything to worry about. We would bring our collection of shells to my mother, showing her our treasured finds with delightful pride. Showmanship, she had always told me I had great showmanship.

I felt the warm softness of plush blankets and sheets, and then my head gently fell against a pillow. Finnick was looking down at me with a troubled expression. His eyes darkened and I wished that he would stop looking at me that way. I wanted to see the green transparency of the oceans, not the evergreen of an oak.

"_Annie._" His voice was so soft, so gentle, I could barely stand it. I wanted to reach up and touch the side of his face, feel the pale stubble on his chin and jaw. That is until his hand reached for me first and lay flat against my cheek. A blush crawled up my neck and into my cheeks, warm and obvious. The tips of his fingers brushed over my ear and I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest from how viciously it was beating. It was a good kind of pain, I decided, and the words _masochist_ bounced around in my head. I had never had a boy touch me like this, or maybe I had, but it never felt quite like this did.

"You should sleep." He said, the worry never leaving his eyes. His thumb rubbed circles on the apple of my cheeks, carefully and softly, and I felt the hairs rise up in the back of my neck. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. I wanted to tell him it was okay, that I was just being stupid and that I really should bolster my courage because I desperately needed it back. I reached up for him, my heart racing faster than ever, and pushed a strand of golden hair off his forehead. He never broke my gaze, but I noticed the present tension in his shoulders. A little voice in the back of my head kept telling me to lose my inhibitions, forget pretenses. I had to _live_ because there wasn't much of it left anymore. I propped myself up on one elbow, inches away from his face. Through hitched breathing, he came closer, so close that I was just about ready to turn away. I had never kissed anyone before. My stomach was twisting and it almost felt as if there was butterfly wings rapping against my insides before the space between our waiting lips closed and his mouth came down on mine.

I had always wondered what my first kiss would be like. I imagined something soft and sweet, perhaps short and inexperienced. I never thought it would be filled with passion and lust and an undercurrent of alarming urgency. My hands were around his neck, forming knots in his hair and I could feel his strong hands on my waist. He pulled me closer against him, goosebumps forming all along my skin from his nearness. And then we broke away, gasping for air. His eyes opened. The small space between our faces impermeable. He was too surprised to do anything at first, but after deliberation his lips grazed over mine once more before he began to speak.

"We probably shouldn't have done that." He said, smiling into my lips.

The warmth of his breath on my face chilled me to the bone. "I'm sorry I –"

He kissed me again, this time it was soft and almost too gentle in comparison to the intensity we had just shared. "I've wanted to do that since I first saw you."

My breath caught. There was something so pleasantly euphoric about knowing that I wasn't making this up in my head. He had felt _something_ too. It was unexplainable, I couldn't quite describe the feeling, but it was like a connection, inevitably drawing us to this very moment in time. Something so insignificant in comparison to the universe, but paradoxically seeming like it could swallow it whole.

I smiled and he fell into the bed beside me, one hand propping himself up and the other still playing with my hair. And then he seemed to be thinking exactly what I was thinking. _What was going to happen when tomorrow reared its ugly head?_ We would have to face reality. Face the Hunger Games. I took his hand into mine and held it tight.

"Let's not think about it, any of it. Can't we pretend like there's nothing more than just right now?" I asked him in a small voice, the desperation seeping through in high pitches.

Immeasurable pain flashed across his face and I felt his hands squeeze mine even tighter. He pulled me into him and I let my head rest under his chin. His arms came around me, soothingly rubbing my back while mines were on his chest, strong and hard and _so safe._ No more words were exchanged, instead we basked in the silence of being alone, just the two of us and he kissed me again, just before my body surrendered to a weighty drowsiness and I fell asleep with the consistent rise and fall of his chest.

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**A/N: Don't mean to toot my own horn, but...**toot toot**! I think this has to be my favorite chapter, by far (of course, I've only written a chapter ahead of this one so it's probably too early to be saying that). But I digress, I hope you guys enjoyed it! Please review (:**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11** - Annie

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The next morning we were back in the gym, patiently waiting for our names to be called to meet with the Gamemakerss. Isabelle had claimed Lucas the moment that they'd arrived (not that he seemed to mind) leaving me to sit by Nixie, who still looked as harmless as she did the first time I'd seen her – but this time, I knew better.

Dagan had been in there for about seven minutes. The tension in the air was thick and it was seething into my pores like melted butter. What could I do once I was in there that would set me apart from the rest of the tributes? Alec was brilliant with spears. Nixie could bring a person three times her size with a sword. Lucas could lift rocks and hurl them onto targets. As the minutes ticked on, my brain began to shut down. I couldn't think of anything. The palms of my hands were laced with sweat.

I should just stop thinking about it. That would be best. Once I walked in there, I would have the chance to assess the situation and determine my best course of action.

The tall woman that we'd met on the first day of training, Atalia, came back into the room, clipboard in hand. "District two: Avani."

The girl stood proudly. The red of her hair made her look like she was on fire and she might as well be. The sureness of her own abilities was evident in the way she flounced down to the other woman and walked past her. I saved her walk to memory. That's how I would enter the room – with a confident stride. Just like Finnick, I would be taking notes of each tribute before me and use it later.

Soon Birch had been called and then Nixie. Lucas looked past Isabelle at me. Was he worried? I couldn't tell, so I tried to muster a smile for him. It felt wrong on my face though. How could I be smiling at a time like this? There was nothing cheerful about it. He smiled too. Moments later, his name was called and I watched his shoulders stiffen from his chair. His eyes found mine as he stood and he mouthed the words, _good luck_. I did the same. Once he was gone, the impending horror really sank in. I had _no_ idea what I was going to do. This would be what determined whether I was worthy of receiving sponsorship.

The empty chair beside me moved. The girl from District 12 had hit it with her leg by accident. From the other side of her, I saw Alec cooly staring at the door. Him and Isabelle had been avoiding each other again. It crossed my mind that they might be trying to distance themselves from each other, until eventually they no longer believed they were even related. It would surely be easier to kill the other then. The thought of it repulsed me, and I put a gently lay my hand on my stomach – holding tight to the fabric there.

"District four: Annie."

It took me a second to regain the strength in my legs. I hoisted myself off the cold, metal chair and sauntered over to Atalia, with a walk that I desperately hoped emanated strength and insouciance. Atalia motioned me forward and shut the door, leaving us in darkness. I reached my hand out for the wall, just to hold on to something physically in front of me, something real, but then another door opened and I was in another part of the gym, almost an exact replica of the place we had been training in for three days. I took a step forward and examined the place, before I heard someone laugh. My head turned up and I saw men dressed in _, all staring down at me. The one who had laughed wore a mocking smirk.

"Go ahead." Instructed the one in the middle, his arms under his chin as he leaned forward.

All I could hear was the sound of my thumping heart and ragged breathing. It was fortunate that they were far enough to not hear it themselves because they would've easily marked me off as unworthy. On the floor, I found a sword and I reached to grab it. The hilt of the blade feeling rough underneath my fingertips. There was a dummy far off in the distance. I looked around, finding a smaller blade and took it in my free hand. I held it up, my hand shaking, aimed, and threw it. It landed on it's stuffed thigh. That wasn't good enough, not nearly good enough.

One of them leaned back on his chair, his exaggerated sigh echoing off the walls. Without thinking, I ran forward, adrenaline rushing through my veins, and stabbed the dummy through its neck, smashing it on the ground. The sound, once again, loudly bouncing off the walls. I looked up again to see that they still looked uninterested. I searched the place again and this time found rope. I tied some knots, including the one I had taught the instructor at the knot-tying section, and seemed to grab the attention of two of the Gamemakers. I spent the last few minutes tying the most impressive knots I could manage, even weaving a quick tightly-woven bag that I had used to help father catch fish on the yard.

It wasn't much of a summer that year. The fish weren't biting and the days were short. Father spent most of the early morning and late nights out on a boat, fishing with Avan. I would stay behind watching the store, although there weren't ever any customers awake at that time. One morning, I had changed into a diving suit and dove off the pier. I liked swimming because it felt like I was flying. My body was weightless against the masses of water. Seaweed sprouted from the ground, giving me the impression the ocean floor was covered in grass. Just another version of the land I lived in, but here, I was floating. The water was warm with the freshly risen sun and I swam through the crystal waters, my arms taking me this way and that. My father had been right about the fish, there weren't any at all, but my eyes caught sight of something dark red near a coral. I thought it was a lobster, so I swam deeper, father from the outside world and more into mine.

Light bounced off the corals and the water danced with spurts of reds, yellows, and pinks. And then I saw it, beneath a gaping rock were tons of dark red fish, all cluttered together. I immediately swam up after that, careful not to startle them and found a stray piece of rope laying around on the deck. My hands swiftly went to work and tied piece by piece, although I messed up and it didn't quite work sometimes, and finally fashioned a sort of net I tied together as a bag.

I brought home enough fish for our dinner and the dinner of a few others. So many hadn't eaten in days because of the deficiency in machinery and boats; it was my shining moment.

But now, sitting here weaving the same net with the Gamemakers watching, I felt entirely incapable of doing anything that would make me feel that way again.

"You may go." The one in the middle said, waving me off with a slight wave of his dark hand.

I nodded, dropping the rope as I stood. "Thank you." I said as confidently as I could, and found the elevator, passing a pair of tired-looking avoxes, and pushed the number four. The elevator zipped me up and opened at my floor. Lucas was there in the dining room, sitting with Finnick and Mags – both wearing identical faces of anticipation.

I sat down, not wanting to look at either of them. It hadn't gone well. I had bored the Gamemakers, that much was obvious. I thought of Avan, the way he would react when he saw his little sister's score on the television screen of our house in a few hours. Mom and dad would be there, too, equally as dismayed. I wondered who had come to grieve with them the night after my reaping. Had the neighbors come to sit by them and watch the replay of the reaping? Was Fillippa there already accepting the idea that she would lose a best friend in a few days time?

Finnick's words rattled me back to the reality I would've preferred to leave behind. "How did you do, Annie?"

I stared at him, wanting so bad to feel his arms around me and have his warmth comfort me. "I don't think they were paying attention."

Costas had come out of nowhere, "Of course they were paying attention!" he said pointedly, "It's their job to pay attention."

"I was there Costas." I said angrily. "You've never had to go in there have you? So you wouldn't exactly be the best judge of what really goes on in there."

Costas darts his eyes to Finnick and Mags as if I've said something outrageous. But then I realize its because soft spoken Annie seems to have lost her temper. Not that anything mattered anymore, but I probably should've been more careful with my tone. I still didn't feel like I had anything for apologize for, so I just crossed my hands over my chest and sulked.

"I lifted a few things and tossed them pretty far." Lucas said carefully, "And hurled some spears at the dummy."

Mags nodded in ascension, but her jaw was tight, her lips in a serious line. "Good. They seem to like when you have a good eye for a target."

Costas was still pouting in the corner. At times he would shoot a disdainful glare in my direction before he would get distracted with something else. An avox came in to clear the table and I realized I hadn't even touched my food. He took my plate anyway. He had probably seen so many other tributes suffer the same delusions, go through the same tantrums. The room was colder than usual and the smell of freshly-eaten fish still clung to the air. It probably would for a while, the smell of fish always lingered for hours.

"I'm going to my room." I announced, sounding like a child that had been banned from playing with her toys.

Luckily, nobody protested and I was able to shut the door before the tears came streaming down my cheeks. I knew there was nothing that could be done, nothing that could take me back in time. My mother would always say to make the best out of every situation, especially if there was nothing else you could do about. She probably hadn't meant this though. How could she ever imagine the day that one of her very own children would be sent off into the Hunger Games to fight and kill until their own brutal murder. No one could imagine this. And even if the thought crossed your mind, only for a second, you would make sure to shake it off immediately in fear that it would come true.

The subject had never even crossed our conversations, between Fillippa and I. We hated to bring it up, and we thought (or at least I did) that by not mentioning it, it would dull the intensity of it. Looking back, I wondered if we could've offered the other some encouraging words of advice – just in case the worst ever occurred, because now it had and I had nothing to go on.

Mags knocked on my door that evening, alerting me that the scores were about to start. I joined them all in the tv room. Everyone was quietly watching. It was Finnick who allowed himself a cursory glance at me when I entered before fixing his eyes back on the television. I sat by Lucas, who seemed to be the most relaxed of the group. The large ones from District one and two get between the eight to ten range. Birch unsurprisingly gets a ten and Nixie pulls a nine. I briefly wondered what Nixie could've done to impress the Gamemakers. Then Lucas's pictures shows up on the screen and beneath it, an eight. Finnick pats him on the back and smiles. Coasta's is clapping excitedly and Lucas seems to be enjoying the attention.

Now, I'm staring back at my own face. I hold my breath, hoping for score like Lucas's…

Four.

I feel like someone punched me in the stomach. _Four?_

Almost instantly I find Finnick's face. He's already looking at me, but what I find there isn't at all reassuring. The horror on his face only confirms my feelings. I break out gaze, wanting to see if Mags would react differently, but she had her head in her small, wrinkled hands.

"Don't worry about it." Lucas tells me. Although we both know that only one of us can make it out of there alive and I still don't understand his constant need to cheer me up.

I nod. "You did great. An eight…that's fantastic." I say genuinely, still glad that he stands a chance out there.

The next tributes range between fives and sevens. The blind girl from District 12 managed a three. I almost felt bad for her when I remembered that I had my own problems to worry about. We each set off to our rooms.

I didn't see Finnick that night, but I knew he was out on the roof because I heard his footsteps outside my door and then the sound of a door shutting in the distance. I stared at the roof, contemplating if I would've felt better if I had followed him. I decided there wasn't anything that would make feel better. Not even Finnick.

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**A/N: Have a lovely day everyone, and **please** don't forget to review! (:**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12 - **Finnick

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"So there isn't any training today?" she asked me, her voice small and nothing like the harsh snapping of the girl at dinner yesterday. Not that I blamed her for it. She was under a lot of pressure. So was Lucas. We all were, me and Mags included.

"Well, not physical training." We were alone in her bedroom. The image of us on her bed, her head on my chest and my arm around her shoulders struck me, and I felt heat rush to my face. "We need to decide how we're going to present you to the audience."

She looked like a child in her chair. Her back straight, hands together on her lap with a curtain of brown waves falling into her face. Her gaze was fixed sideways to a distant spot on the floor. Looking at her this way made my chest ripple with ache. Her scores last night were grim. There was no way she would get sponsors with a four. Not when so many had scored so much higher than her. I knew what I had left to work with, and it sounded so shallow and more like something a hairstylist from the capitol would suggest, but it was a last desperate jab at winning the crowd:

Her looks.

Mags had suggested we play her off as alluring and mysterious, sexy even. She should flirt with Cesar, the host, and the audience. Make them want her. Make them want to sponsor her. People always wanted what they couldn't have right? So that's when I decided Annie would be hard to get - paradoxal with our relationship now…or whatever it is we had going on.

I explained this to her. Her green eyes darting around the room at times when I said something I knew she didn't like. She brought her arms up to her shoulders, rubbing them as if she were cold.

"What do you think?" I finally asked, sitting on the edge of my seat (in all literal senses of the phrase).

She bit her lip and then there was a moment of silence.

"It sounds like it could work. I guess…what else do I have to work with? Although, I'm not as pretty as the girl from District one."

I wanted to reach out and touch her face. "Have you looked in the mirror at all?"

She laughed but her smile faded when my hand landed on the top of her knee. "Annie, you have no idea…"I stopped, before I would say something that would detract from the reason why we were here.

Her cheeks turned crimson and she opened her mouth to say something when I drew my hand back, but didn't.

"You're going to twirl your hair, bat your lashes, giggle – the whole shebang." I smiled teasingly.

I could see she was uncomfortable, but continued anyways. I wanted her to get out of this alive. I wanted to give her a life after the Hunger Games, whether it was entwined with mine or not. I showed her some tapes on girls who had played similar roles in previous games, saving the best for last. I switched on the tape, watching Annie attentively study the one in my hand when her lips parted.

"Finnick –"

I slipped the tape in and the picture came on, fuzzy and full of white noise at first, but then focusing on a girl with shining black hair and big topaz eyes. Azure. I always felt a pang in my stomach when I reviewed her tapes, which is why I hadn't seen it for three years, but I knew Annie needed to see this. I wanted Annie to be Azure, as close as her abilities would allow at least.

It was her interview, and when her name was called she gracefully stood up. She was beautiful, but not in the way one would expect. Not like a rose, but rather like the thorns. Dark, tall, and mysterious: she looked like she could charm a person straight into their own death. She winked to the audience as she sat, giving Cesasr a pat on the arm.

"Azure! Lovely to finally meet you." He tells her, unabashedly grinning.

The crowd cheers and Azure responds with a one-sided smirk. "Isn't it?"

People laughed and so did Cesar. "Tell me, what is it about you that's giving me sweaty palms hm?" He looked out, "What is it?"

She draped a thin arm over the back of her chair, "I really have no idea, but I seem to always provoke the same reaction in people. But let me just add Cesar," she said, leaning in as if she were preparing him for a scandalous secret, "You're making me quite nervous too…and _that_, does not happen often…at all, actually."

"Oh stop it!" he teased, hitting the side of his leg with the index cards he had prepared with questions for the tributes. "You're a riot!"

The audience agreed with a collaborative sigh.

"You must have the boys falling tripping over each other for you." He pressed on, motioning towards the tributes behind him.

"That's only because I'm the one doing the tripping." she said confidently, sitting back in her chair with a grin.

Cesar leaned forward, intrigued. She had his full fledged attention, and she had managed to catch it with just a few words. I remembered how easily I was taken by her. The effect was instant.

"Do you have a lucky boy waiting for you back home?" He asked her.

The audience silenced, eagerly awaiting her answer and then it happened: the moment that I no one else had seemed to catch. Azure's face fell, it was so quick and disguised that without knowing the back story, it was impossible to see it. She did have a boy back in district 4, and they were inseparable. I would always see them walking on the beach, holding hands and laughing. She seemed like a different person then. The girl that I met was cold and hard. The girl on the beach wasn't like that. I had inadvertedly heard her crying the first night on the train as I walked past her room, and I knew he was the reason why.

She quickly composed herself, "Maybe. But that's a secret I'll never tell." Her voice held a hint of playfulness.

Some of the men in the audience groaned in disappointment. Azure set her dark eyes on them and blew them a kiss.

Cesar pointed out into the crowd and shouted into the crowd. "Watch out! I hear they're deadly!"

Azure laughed. It wasn't quite a giggle but far from a guffaw.

"Well, before I let you go." The audience wailed in pleads to ask her another question. Cesar obliged. "One more! Alright, alright!" He looked back at her, "Give me one reason why we should root for you."

"Because you'd be stupid not to." Her response was immediate, as if there wasn't anything to think about it. The answer was obvious.

Cesar smiled and she waved at the crowd.

I stood up and turned off the television set. Annie was still studiously watching the black screen.

"Azure." she said in a whisper.

"That's your angle, Annie." I told her. "I think you can do it."

Her blue-green eyes collided with mine. "Arrogant and conceited with a touch of mystery."

I smirked. "I know all about arrogance and conceitedness."

She didn't laugh, instead she screwed up her face. "You play a convincing role Fininck Odair." Her gaze bore into mine and something inside me rattled anxiously. "Why do you do it?"

I leaned forward defensively, "It's not an act Annie. That's…me." The words sounded strange to me, like if I really didn't know who '_me'_ was.

"Then why aren't you like that now? From the very first day I expected you to be annoying and stupid." She must've seen the surprise on my face and added in an apology. "But you're not. You listened to me that night, out in the roof. And then you've been telling me things that you haven't been telling Lucas. And…." Her eyes drifted to the bed, and back at me. "_Why_?"

I hesitated. Should we waste time talking about this when I only had an hour left with her before the prep team would come and take over? Time was measured regardless of how I approached it. It was better now than never, because there was a high possibility that I would regret never saying it later.

"It's simple. I want you to win." I said, taking her hands in mine. She smelled like salty air and sandalwood. "I don't know why Annie, and I barely know you, but…there's something about you…"

Her eyes were wide before they darkened, a mixture of relief and, perhaps, longing swimming in its depths. "You have to promise me you'll come back." I squeezed her hands, "Promise me Annie."

I felt her fingers mold tightly into mine. She was looking down at our hands with a soft smile lingering on her pink lips. The sun radiating into the room from the curtain behind me warmed the back of my neck, and I could see tones of coppery-red and golden brown delicately highlighting her dark hair. Her eyes reached up to mine, a small smile still dimpling her cheeks. "I'm going to try."

And she might as well have told me that she was determined to get herself killed, because her words couldn't possibly mean anything. After all, there were going to be at least 14 capable, blood-lusting teenagers in the same arena and he had already learned that her fate, along with the fate of the other 23, was out of his hands.

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**A/N: Thanks for all your reviews! (: Please keep them coming x**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13** - Annie

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The prep team set straight to work once they kicked Finnick out. Helia was the first to get his hands on me, fixing my extensions, playing with some braids and then unknotting them. I was sent to the bathroom to shower, followed by my team which proceeded to scrub me down and lather me with lotion that smelled like lavender. I was ridded of all the hair in my body (excluding the one on my head) and smothered with polishing cream that made my skin glossy.

"So we're going for something a bit sexier tonight." Helia told me, grabbing a makeup brush from his kit and dusting it with black powder. It tickled the thin skin in my eyelids. "I'm thinking something like a girl you'd see in the corner of a bar, clad in leather, but you'd never _ever_ be brave enough to approach her because she's so out of your league."

I had no idea what he was talking about but the enthusiasm in his voice almost convinced me it was his most brilliant idea yet.

After a few hours I'm being escorted out of my room and into the elevator. Lucas is holding the door open for me, his face steady until it breaks into complete shock. His mouth slightly falls open while his eyes drift from me to Helia, unanswered questions hanging in the air.

"Different isn't it?"

He seemed to have found his words. "_Different?'_ he shakes his head and looks at me again, "How'd you get her to look like _that?"_

Helia shrugs, waving his hand in front of him and looking at his bronzed fingers. "It was dormant. Annie's beautiful - before and after the makeover."

Lucas's blue eyes meet mine. I could feel the satin of my dress curl around my fingers and then disappear as I near the area that is uncovered by the fabric. A slit runs high up my thigh, exposing a long bronzed leg clad in fishnet stockings. Helia said they would symbolize the netting back in the district. I noticed Lucas is wearing a nice suit, in a navy blue color, with a pale turquoise button down shirt and an anchor pin strapped on to the left side of his chest. His hair was still messy, but it seemed blonder than I remembered it. Now looking at him, I could feel a tug at my chest I had never felt before. Tonight was our last night together within these walls, safeguarding us until the games began. We wouldn't ever have another friendly moment like this one, we couldn't. As of tonight, we were enemies.

"Are you ready?" I asked him, trying to break through my thoughts.

His face steadied then, ripping into a soft smile. "I am. How about you?"

I forced a smile. "Ready as I'll ever be."

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Helia walked out with expectations that we would follow. Lucas walked in a determined gait behind him. He was confident, it was obvious in the way he carried himself. I was curious of how the rest of our opponents looked. I caught sight of Nixie, her hair falling down her back like a curtain of platinum. From what I could see, her dress was an elegant, silver thing draping down her back and exposing most of it. Birch was in a suit like Lucas, but his was gray like coal. I continued walking, tripping over the length of my jade green dress when I felt an arm at my elbow steady me. My eyes darted up into Alec's face, his dark blue eyes boring into mine like an indestructible force prying me open. They were so fierce, it frightened me. His arm lingered on my elbow, his fingertips gently touching my skin as he kept his gaze fixed on mine. I was the first to look away, feeling uncomfortable with his intensity, and realized that Lucas had walked off.

"You nearly fell." He told me; his breath near my face.

"Yeah." I sputtered. "Thanks."

"It's a good look for you." His voice was smooth.

The noise of the other tributes around us grew quieter, as our stylists began gathering them onto their carriages. A small round woman with light pink skin came up beside us. Her beady black eyes fell on the place where he was touching me and they narrowed.

"Alec. It's time to go." She told him, taking his hand off of me and leading him away. "Isabelle's already in the carriage."

Alec stole a glance at me over his shoulder, a smirk on his face but pain in his eyes, before disappearing. Again, I knew I wouldn't be able to hurt him. He was just as tortured as I was about being selected for the games, and then I realized that I had something else in common with this boy. It was the last thing I needed, having any sort of attachment to the other tributes, but I feared it was too late for that. I lifted my dress and found my way to Helia, who was impatiently tapping his foot outside the carriage. He ushered me in, giving me a quick pat on the shoulder for luck, or perhaps to lift the strap that had fallen. Either way, it was reassuring. We rode in silence. I was fidgeting with my dress and Lucas had his hand stretched out on the seat behind me. The scene reminded me of a time at school, which now seemed like years ago.

I was always the girl who preferred to study rather than go out into the pier on Friday nights with the rest of the school. Even Avan would be out there, mingling and making the best of the grim circumstances we were all in. People in our district were starving and we knew it, but that was even more of a reason to live a few moments on the beach with friends, forgetting our lives at the district. I helped my mother with the house and my father at the shipping yard. We were locking up one night when a group of teenagers came walking through, on their way to the pier. I was picking up rope when Lucas stopped in front of me, his arms at his sides and a smirk on his face.

"Annie Cresta." He had told me. He was a year older than me, and we had met once when I'd been assigned to help him with history. We weren't exactly friends, but we had spoken on occasion and got on well.

"Hi Lucas." I responded, letting the rope fall back to the floor and brushing my hands off.

"Are you heading to the pier?" he asked, passing a hand through his hair as the colors of the sunset behind me played on his face.

"No…I-I've got stuff to do."

"Like what?" he asked incredulously, looking back at my dad and then at me. "Looks like your dad's just about done."

I looked back at my father, his dark brown hair sticking to his head with sweat. He waved at Lucas, having recognized him from the times he'd come down here with his father to buy fish. "Go ahead, Annie. Have fun."

I searched for another excuse, anything that would me get out of this. Fillippa, my best friend, was home and she was the only person that I really felt myself with. It was too late to tell her to join me. Lucas was looking at me with expecting eyes, and finding myself at a loss for an excuse, I agreed.

"Excellent." He said, and then he did something completely unexpected. He raised his hand and wrapped it over my shoulders, leaving it there for the entirety of our walk. I made some new friends that night, and although I didn't normally take trips to the pier every Friday, I did begin to go more frequently with Fillippa.

The carriage stopped suddenly, and Lucas's arm fell on my shoulders. He looked at me and laughed, "Sorry."

I smiled up at him, remembering the boy with sunshine on his face and light in his eyes and took his hand. "Good luck." And I meant it, earnestly and wholeheartedly because if there was anyone else that deserved to win, it was him.

His lips parted, most likely in surprise, and he squeezed my hand. "Are you nervous?"

"A little." I admitted.

"You're going to kill it. And if you don't, you're outfit will." He raised an eyebrow.

I looked down at the vibrant silk dress, clinging onto my waist and then my hips: touching every curve and twist of my body. In the privacy of my room with Helia, I felt fantastic. I hadn't stopped to think if that feeling would linger once I was in front of the entire population of Panem. Lucas climbed out first, taking my hand as I followed and keeping his grasp until we were instructed to rise onto the stage.

Cesar welcomed us, his bright orange suit enough to blind just about anybody. His arms waved about him madly and he began making extravagant gestures with his face.

"Look at them! They're all fabulous!"

The audience agreed, catcalling and screaming in elan. The tributes in front of me waved eagerly until finding the middle of the stage, where a row of chairs had been laid out for us. I took the seat next to Birch, his arm, so protruding and large, crashing against mine. Lotus from District one played a coy, demure character to the audience, which I ironically found believable. She was either a very good actor, or was large and useless. Dagan was blunt and blood-lusting. Some of the men in the crowd cheered ravenously while most of the women opened their mouths in surprise. District two was next and luckily, didn't stir much of a reaction from the crowd. Once it was Nixie's turn, she greeted Cesar, the host, with a wide, brilliant grin. She was very poised and elegant; another moment of irony. Birch didn't speak much and then it was my turn.

"Wowza!" exclaimed Cesar as he stood up to watch Birch go and welcome the girl tribute from District 4. "Annie Cresta everyone!"

Applause started and I tried to make eye contact with some people in the audience, smirking and smiling the way Finnick had taught me. Being on stage was surreal. It was as if I were no longer myself. I was acting a part, and it wasn't difficult to do. I was actually rather grateful that I was going to be playing a character rather than myself.

"So" began Cesar, waiting until I tucked my dress behind me and sat, "I'm sure I haven't been the first person to tell you how fantastic you look today."

I cast a coy glance at the audience, winked, and drew my attention to Ceasar again with confidence I didn't even know I had. "Well, I wouldn't want to embarrass any of the other tributes but…" I stopped with a secretive tone.

Cesar threw his hands up, "Of course! How couldn't you have the attention of all these boys behind us? Look at them, they're just waiting to sink their teeth into you aren't you?" he asked to the line of chairs behind us, some of the boys still and unsure while some others laughed. The girls looked around, clearly unhappy with the attention the tribute from District 4 was getting and probably wondering how they would change their strategy to disassemble it.

"And how are things hm?" he asked curiously, his smooth practiced voice like butter.

I paused for a moment, restraining myself from uttering the complete truth. "As well as it can go. Training has been great, although I don't think I really needed it.."

"But what about your score? You were ranked a four. Not exactly classified as much of a threat according to the Game makers. "

"That really can't be the only thing you're going to go off by Cesar." I told him, listening to the arrogance in my voice and smiling. "I didn't want to perform to the best of my abilities…we've got to save _some _surprise from the games don't we?"

Cesar nodded in agreement. "Very true." He looked sidelong at the audience who was adopting a similar disposition. I began to notice how much the crowd relied on Cesar for approval. When he was happy, they were happy. When he was doubtful, so were they. "Now, what about your fellow tribute Lucas Murdoch? Rumor has it that you two were a little more than friends before the reaping.."

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and I knew that he was expecting to hear a confirmation to add some more interest to our relationship, but I couldn't lie about Lucas. "Well, Lucas and I were friends..but only friends before the reaping. We still are, actually."

The camera's focus withdrew from my image and now Lucas's face was on the big screens. "But he's never tried to take your friendship to a…deeper level?"

The audience leaned in closer and I could see Lucas's amused face, ten times bigger than the real thing. "Never." I said simply, noticing that Cesar was beginning to get bored and added, "But there have been plenty of others who have."

"You can't leave us on that cliffhanger, Annie. Tell us – I think the audience would like to know." At his words the crowd began yelling their ascension and Cesar had to ask them to settle down more than once. I smirked. Instead of opting for blowing kisses, Finnick had told me to keep it mysterious with half-lipped smirks.

"There were a few boys back home." I lied easily, imagining a different life; one that never belonged to me. "Of course, they're all special to me in their own way, but a girl like me just can't be tied down, Cesar." My voice asked for his sympathy.

"Whoa!" He stuck a finger in his collar and pulled. "And what about the tributes? Which one of these lucky guys has caught your attention?"

I was glad I'd seen Azure's interview; this one was heading towards the same direction. Immediately, my eyes landed on Alec, his cheeks already red from our earlier conversation. I darted away, hoping Cesar hadn't noticed, but it was too late. Cesar was turned at the waist, nearly falling off his seat, to catch a glimpse of what had taken my attention. Cesar was smiling from ear-to-ear. "District seven." He raised a brow. "I'd like to see what goes on during those training sessions - am I right, audience?"

While the audience cheered, wranging for Cesars attention, I shot an apologetic look at Alec, who seemed to not notice. His face was still up on the screen, looking frantic or surprised, maybe both. His sister wasn't nearly as panicked as he was. I thought I saw her look at Lucas, probably contemplating the idea of doing the same thing.

"But don't think that's going to affect my performance tomorrow, Cesar." I reassured him, and looked into the camera. "After all, I've never really been a girl to get swooped up in romances."

"I didn't think you were." Cesar said pointedly. He waits for the audience to quiet down and then really gesticulates his next question. "And here's one thing I think all of the ladies out there are dying to know." He paused for effect. "What is it like getting to know your mentor, Finnick Odair, on a personal basis?"

Some of the women in the audience scream, while others begin chanting his name. Cesar catches on and points an arm in his direction. "Oh, don't be shy! Give them what they want to see."

Finnick had his head down, and upon Cesar's request stood up, giving the crowd a small wave. The women went wild, and I could even see a few men looking faint. "Look at these two." Cesar suggested, "Looks like District Four has a lot more to offer than seafood."

The audience agrees and I could feel the escalating heat in my cheeks. Finnick was already sitting, pleasing the audience with a sly grin. The depth of the citizens of the Capitol was worse than i had expected. Shallow wasn't even the word to describe it. They were looking at us as if we were merely trophies to be purchased or won.

Finnick had stirred quite a reaction amongst the crowd and Cesar waited for them to settle down. "Last question, Annie…are you going to win the 70th Annual Hunger Games?"

I smirked, defiantly flipping my hair over my shoulder and narrowing my eyes. "I have no doubt that I _will_ win the Hunger Games. You can _all_ count on that."

And on that note, Cesar stood up and began to applaud, offering his hand which I gladly took because I was feeling a little light-headed and walked back to my seat – leaving an uproarious applause in my wake. The moment I sat down, I felt a wave of relief rush over me. But I couldn't be so quick to abandon my adopted personality; the camera would surely land on me again before this was over and so I had to be prepared at all times. I looked out into the audience, watching their hands clapping together and their mouths forming words that I couldn't hear. All I could hear was my blood pounding at my ears. In the first row, Finnick and Mags were examining me. Mags seemed satisfied, but Finnick…he wouldn't meet my eyes. If I had seen myself put on the performance I did, I probably wouldn't look at me either.

Up ahead, Lucas and Cesar were bantering, laughing and teasing the audience when Lucas began to tell them our history and how he had taken me to my first party.

"I might be the one at fault for corrupting her." He said teasingly, "After I took her to the beach party that day, she's been this…siren ever since." He was lying for me.

Cesar then asked him about his family, if he missed them and once Lucas told him about how he was showing his sister how to fish a few hours before the reaping, the crowd fell in awe. Lucas was winning their sympathy, and it was working; they were clinging on to his every word. I wondered if maybe I should've worked the sympathy angle instead. Now, I wasn't sure if the audience wanted to sponsor me or date me. After a few other tributes were called for their interviews, it was Alec's turn, and I knew that questions about me were inevitable.

"Your sister's a riot you know that?" Cesar told him, as if Alec really had no idea how funny Isabelle was.

"And after sixteen years of living with her…I guess you really never know people, huh?"

Cesar laughed, slapping his thigh. "Looks like we've got another comic in the family!" he yelled out before growing serious, "No really, it must be hard, having to combat with your own sister."

"It is." Alec nodded, "That's why we've been going around pretending like we don't know each other."

Cesar seemed curious. "_Really_?"

"Yep. At the training sessions, we sort of just split up and pretend like we've never seen each other before."

"Well," he pondered, "that's strange, but seems to be working." Cesar's face lit up in mischief, "Is that when you decided to start speaking to Annie Cresta?"

Alec was caught off guard. The expression on his face was enough to tell me that, but he quickly regained composure. "Of course. Look at her, she's hot, why wouldn't I talk to her?"

Cesar tittered, "I couldn't agree with you more! Ah, if only I were a few years younger." He said with a playful edge. "Just a _few_." The audience laughed. Cesar would clearly need to be more than just a few years younger to be anywhere near my age.

"Well, we're all looking forward to seeing your relationship develop on T.V." Cesar said slyly, "Thank you Alec, and lots of luck to you at the Games."

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**A/N: Sorry this took so long! Thank you for all your lovely reviews, I'm so happy to see you guys are liking the story. I know the Alec/Annie thing might seem like the Katniss/Peeta star-crossed lovers plot line, but it's not; don't worry! It's there for a reason, but not because they're about to start up some steamy romance in the Games or anything. **

**Please review? :D**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 -** Annie

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We are sent back to our rooms after the interview. I can't remember most of the last bits – just how the girl from District 12, Paisley mostly kept quiet when Cesar pestered her with questions about how she had lost her sight. It had happened near a mining field, in a factory where she had recently begun working. They were lighting a fire that incinerated too quickly, and she was too close. Bits of fire and coal landed into her eyes, and it was all darkness after that. Her only companion from then on, visually, was gray and solemn – like the coal that blinded her. Some women in the audience were crying, and even I felt the pressure behind my eyelids and throat begging to burst. I didn't allow it, though, and now, sitting in the dining room with my team, it hit hard. My tears were gentle, almost inaudible amongst the urgent talk of strategy and last-minute preparations. It would've gone unnoticed were it not for Finnick's wondering for my silence. Helia was arguing with Lucas's stylist and Lucas and Mags had their heads together. Finnick nudged his head back, to the back door that would lead us outside. I left first, slipping away unnoticed. I heard Mags address Finnick when I had nearly reached the stairs. His voice was low and incomprehensible so I stepped outside, waiting. He was there within seconds, wearing a steely look of resolve.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice all business and mentor-like. The way I hadn't heard it since the first day we met – a day that seemed so much farther away than it really was.

I shrugged, "How did you feel the day before your Games? Not too chipper, I'd imagine."

He averted his green eyes. The lamplight cast shadows beneath the hollows underneath his cheekbones and the crease of his brow, making him look older than he was. Sometimes I forgot how old he was, too. He had to grow up so fast after his victory, because now he was supposed to save other children from the same fate. Our district hadn't been successful in bringing home another victor since then, which made me wonder whether this year would be any different. I would probably die just like all the others; another notch to the Capitols bedpost. But this was the first year Mags had been asked to mentor, maybe she knew something Finnick didn't. Either way, I was already expecting the worse.

Suddenly, Finnick looks at me, his eyes dark and different than I had ever seen them, and pulls me towards him. The warmth of his body melts into mine and I feel the blood pulsing through my veins, faster and quicker and with more enthusiasm than before.

"Annie." His voice vibrates deep from within his chest, "I think we have a problem."

I tilt my chin up, "What?"

Looking down at me, he smiles, and I hear his heart beat quicken.

"What you said this evening about the boy from District seven…" he paused, inhaling acutely, "It isn't true…is it?"

I had already settled into his chest when he asked, and there was something of a smile that I couldn't control. "Well, I think he likes me," I began, tightening my grip around his waist, "But I don't like him…not like _that_ anyway."

His quickening heartbeat sounds like a melodious tone in my ears. A wind gust carries his scent of aftershave and soap into my nose and I take a good whiff of it. I'm not sure if we would ever share another moment like this again, and I want to treasure it.

"Ah, because vixen Cresta can't settle down can she? At least that's what she told all of Panem." He said into my hair.

"My parents are going to think I've been brainwashed, or gone mad…or both." I hadn't given much thought on how my parents would react to my new public image, but being so desperate for sponsors had pushed all of that aside.

"They'll know." He said, "They'll know why you did it."

I separated from him, pausing and then moving towards the small pond on the other side. I settled onto my haunches and stared down at my reflection. I still had makeup on: smoky, sultry colors on my eyelids, bronzed cheeks, and a pale, glossy lip. Outwardly, I was beautiful. I understood why Alec was so determined to pursue me. But he wouldn't be so intent if he knew what was hiding beneath my exterior. The troubled, self-conscious insides that made me, me. I heard footsteps behind me, before Finnick'silhouette was beside mine.

"Finnick." The water rippled against the wind leaving it roused and unsettled, much like how I felt now. "Why do I feel like I've known you my whole life…when I've only known you for three days?"

He took a moment to answer. "Because we understand each other." He dipped his fingers into the water, letting the coldness settle, "And we both want to feel something…else."

"I want to feel something other than fear." I said quickly.

His head turned to face me, intensity in his eyes and a set in his jaw. "You do. We both do."

His words struck me. He meant our feelings for each other. We both feel something other than fear, when we're together and even apart. I feel security, warmth, and a rapid pulse. His face inched nearer to mine and he cupped my cheek in his hand. "Do you feel it now?"

I nodded, helplessly falling into his touch. "Do you?"

His eyes darkened, "All the time."

His lips crashed into mine and the world around me disappeared. It seemed like tomorrow would never come, and we blissfully shared more kisses and embraces until early in the morning. Although Finnick advised it wasn't the smartest idea on the night before the Games because I needed my sleep. But I just wanted to enjoy these last few moments with him, until he helped me downstairs and into my bed, giving me a gentle but urgent kiss on the lips.

"Now can you promise me you'll come back?" he whispered, centimeters away from my lips.

For a moment, I could see it all: a future with him, a long relationship, marriage, perhaps even children. I had never imagined such a life with another boy and then I realized that Finnick wasn't just another boy. He meant much more than that to me; much more than I could explain or even handle.

My hands brushed his cheeks, "There's hope for us, right?"

His hand covered mine. "Yes, because you're coming back to me, Annie. I need you to come back to me."

Tears stung at my eyes. How desperately I wished that my outcome from the Games could be decided right here and now. That I could easily reassure Finnick of my return and promise the hope that we would someday reunite.

"I'm coming back." I whispered, balancing on one elbow to kiss him. "I want to come back."

**[x]**

The morning was solemn. After a hug from Mags and a supportive nudge from Coastas, Finnick and Helia were walking me up to the roof while Mags and his stylist accompanied Lucas. Lucas was taken through another way because all I could see when I climbed to the top was a hovercraft and a ladder rung waiting for me. I bit my lip, thinking about how the roof had been a sort of safe haven for me. Now it was taking me away from here, closer and closer danger and death.

"Steady, Annie. Stay still, and this won't hurt a bit." A woman's voice came behind me and before I had the initiative to react, I felt s sharp cold liquid travel up my veins. I looked down at my arm and saw the subtle outline of the tracking device that all of us would be injected with, in order to keep track of us at all times throughout the games. Finnick was looking too, but instead of saying the words his eyes were trying to spill, he motioned me up the ladder.

There was a fair distance between us when we sat. One that meant we were familiar with each other but not comfortable enough to sit closer. But we were. We just couldn't expose it to the people in this hovercraft. The trip was silent, and if I counted correctly, about forty-five minutes. The pilot announced we were close and the windows all went dark, blocking out the sun and freedom of the outside. Now is when it all began to sink in; the nearness of the Games. The training and interviews and makeovers had preoccupied me for so long that I almost felt as if that was all there was to the Hunger Games. But the worst was yet to come. The hovercraft lands and I follow Finnick and Helia back to the ladder, but this time, it takes us down a tube underground, into the catacombs beneath the arena. Upon arrival, a man instructs us to the Launch Room, where I will prepare myself for the arena. I'm trapped beneath the arena, like the fish we would catch in the open seas. I'm the fish struggling for freedom. The catacombs, my net.

Helia instructs me to shower while Finnick waits in another room. As soon as I come out, Helia's holding out an outfit for me and helps me dress into the flowy tunic, mesh black pants, and knee-high leather boots that were waiting for me upon my arrival. He styles my hair into a high ponytail and hands me another hair tie in case I need to keep more hair off my face.

"So this is it?" I ask, examining my garments and realizing how ordinary they look; completely at odds with the situation I'm being thrown into.

"They haven't disclosed any information about the arena, not even to the stylists." He begins, "But this fabric was made to keep cool in warm temperatures."

I nod. Helia looks different today, more somber and dull then I've ever seen him. The stylists were citizens of the Capitol, but they became more closely acquainted to the tributes than other citizens. I'd imagine they felt some sort of sadness at the idea of letting one go.

"Finnick will stay with you until the launch." His smile was sincere amongst the fakeness of the rest of his face. "Good luck, Annie."

The moment the door closes behind me and Costas is gone, Finnick walks in and takes my hands in his, bringing them to his lips.

"Reach for something quick at the cornucopia; don't waste too much time there because as you've seen, that's where most tributes get killed. Do exactly what Mags instructed and make sure you meet Lucas on the outer edge of the circle so you can run off together. If you can run first and work as a team at the cornucopia, that'd be better. If neither of you manage to get anything, find the boy from seven. Since we know he has some sort of feelings for you; I'm sure he'll be more than happy to share. That is, if he makes it past the first few minutes." Finnick finished on an urgent note, his eyes flitting around the room and then at me when the a metal plate behind us snapped two halves shut with an eerie pop. One of his hands brushed my cheek and then through my hair. "Most importantly, maintain your image out there. No matter what it takes. Flirt with the cameras."

It was a lot to take in with the unnerving pressure of the situation crushing in on us. A woman's voice overhead announces that it is time for launch. Seconds later, a beeping sound comes from the circular metal plate near us, indicating that I was probably the one holding up the entrance to the arena. "Okay." I told him, gently kissing him on the cheek and squeezing his hand like if he was all I had to hold onto in the world. Within the hour I could be dead; For now, he was all I had.

He walks me to the plate, never letting go, until a glass cylinder lowers on me and we are forced to let go. I could still feel my skin tingle from where he had touched it. I wasn't sure if I would ever experience those feelings again. The moments of my ascent into the arena were dark, and I thought of my family back home. I wondered what Avan was doing and if Fillippa had already accepted that she would have to get on with life without her best friend. I shut the thoughts out.

I was blinded by sudden light and blinked back the tears that had emerged from sensitivity to the brightness. Around me was a floor of dense greenery, trees covering every inch of the land except for a small clearing. More circular plates came into view and soon I could see the twenty-four of us, all similarly engulfed in shock and awareness of the chosen arena field. I looked to my left and saw Isabelle, on my right was a boy from District eight. I frantically searched for Lucas, and saw that he was about eight people away from me. I caught his eyes and he nodded. The movement of the capsules had halted and centered in front of us was a coned heap of bronze and golds, a huge manifestation, with all sorts of weapons and food spilling out of the mouth. The look on the other tributes faces mirrored mine. We were all aching to get our hands on these supplies. They were what would ultimately guarantee our success. I wasn't much with weapons, so I decided I would find a decent knife but focus on food. My heart was pounding, my pulse buzzing and then a voice came from overhead.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the Seventieth Hunger Games begin!"

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**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and put my story on alert! So it's begun! Before you guys say anything, I know the stylists are supposed to be with the tributes until launch, but I just had this really sweet moment with Finnick in my head and couldn't let it go. So, I changed it up a little bit, hope you don't mind (:  
Please review! **


	15. Chapter 15

I look around me, waiting the sixty seconds I had before we would all dizzily throw ourselves to the arena, where our only hopes of survival lie. The first thing I see is a river, a large, wide river extending into the woods behind the tributes positioned across me. I nearly jumped in enthusiasm at the thought of an ocean nearby, but I shouldn't be so lucky. I follow the rippling stream with my eyes for a few meters of flat land, until a severe incline, spilling water over the edge of a cliff and into nothingness. That is the only area in open air. All around me is thick forest, behind me it isn't as sparse. Having water at my immediate disposal is an advantage to me nonetheless. The water feels familiar, despite the lack of saltiness I'm used to.

Now, realizing the time of launch is coming near, I survey the supplies. There's a decent length of rope to the right. There's a green knapsack up ahead. Nearest to the mouth are spears, knives, and arrows.

And then we're off.

I dart off behind the tributes that dashed forward and grab the rope with no problem. I take a moment to look ahead and see that the fighting has already begun. Already, there is a boy on the ground with blood pooling around him. I find the emptiest area and run as fast as my legs could take me. I grab a small, plastic bag of some food, not bothering to read the label and am about to reach for a bottle of water when the girl from District ten shoves me to the ground, a knife up in the air. She grabs the bottle and I'm trying to find the strength to push back on my legs, away from her when the knife comes down and lands on the floor in front of me. The girl from ten looks dazed for a moment, and then her eyes roll to the back of her head and falls over me. I struggle to push her off me and start to see blood in my hands. Her back was skillfully pierced with a spear. My pulse quickens as I see more tributes running around me, running for their lives as some already have hold of weapons and are firing at will. Nixie is on top of the heap, armed with two knives and stabbing anyone that gets too close. I finally manage to push the girl off me and then see someone at a distance, running towards me.

I shuffle around for the dead girl's knife and hold it shakily in my hand before I decide I couldn't face him and run off in the opposite direction. I whip my head around, desperately searching for Lucas. Where is he? I begin to panic. I can't do this alone.

Just then I feel someone grab me by the elbow and look up to the girl from five. She isn't armed and through a sudden pulse of adrenaline and instinct to escape I fall to the ground and slide my leg across to her, tripping her. I begin to run again. This time, more determined than ever to get away from this bloodbath. And then I see Birch, and how he's running directly towards Alec when he's in combat with another tribute. I don't know what comes over me, but I yell out his name two and three times until he sees me and ducks, sending the boy rushing to him straight into the one he was fighting. He runs to me, takes my hand, and together we head off towards the dense forest.

"Have you seen Lucas?" I ask him between struggled breaths.

He shakes his head and I see a bloody cut on his left cheek. "He went this way."

I don't know why, but I trust him. After an hour of silently running, alternating to a slower jog at times, I can already feel my legs burning. I haven't been used to so much exercise and it's evident in Alec's panted breathing that he isn't either. We continue for another hour, until we both decide to stop and take refuge beneath a thick part of the woods with a lot of bushes and other green things.

"What did you get?" he asks me, his voice thick with exhaustion.

I gather myself, trying to control my breathing with no success. My lips are dry with thirst and my throat hurts when I swallow. "Knife, food, and rope." I said lamely, realizing how unsuccessful the rope is to my immediate thirst.

He takes the plastic bag of food from the ground in front of me where I dropped it and reads the label. "Peanuts." He says lamely, "I have a loaf of bread and a canteen. No weapons though."

We needed more, much more to survive. We couldn't live off of peanuts. It was impossible. But the idea that I had survived the initial bloodbath, where nearly half of the tributes were almost always killed. I bring my hands up to my face and see that they are splattered in blood, up to the elbow.

"Were you hurt?" Alec asks immediately, his hands hesitantly going to touch mine but then dropping again.

I shook my head, "No. The girl from ten, she got speared and fell on top of me." I picture her lifeless gaze and the sensation of her limp, hard body on me. I swallowed back the rising taste of nausea in my throat.

Alec frowned, "Ugh." He monaed, "Medicine. What happens if one of us needs medicine? I saw some…"

"We wouldn't have been able to reach it." Annie whispered, wondering if they were far enough from the rest of the tributes yet. "You saw how it was back there. If we'd stayed any longer, we would've both died."

Of course, I knew eventually we would. We were only postponing the inevitable. "I haven't heard any cannons."

Alec shook his head, "They're probably still at it."

And as if on cue, the first cannon sounded off into the sky. Alec moved closer into the cover of the trees and I followed, sitting beside him as we listened to the cannons together.

"Nine." He said after there was a pause long enough that signaled there wouldn't be another cannon sounding.

"There's fifteen of us left." I said, thinking of how quickly those lives have been taken. In just two hours, ten children had died, at the hands of each other. the idea set me off and I began to feel a pressure in my chest, not for the first time since my arrival to the arena. Then another fear began to bite at me. "I was supposed to wait for Lucas…you don't think..." I quieted the thought.

"No. I'm sure I saw him running off this way. Isabelle was with him."

So that was why he was keeping tabs on him. I didn't think he would be too interested in Lucas's position for my benefit. We've been travelling at the length of the river, so at least water won't be an issue. Food, however, will be a different story.

"We should keep moving. The more distance we can put between us and the career tributes, the better."

"I thought District four was always a career tribute." He said with honest curiosity.

He was right. I was supposed to have a volunteer, a career that had trained her whole life for this opportunity. "I'm not. No one took my place."

Alec was looking off ahead, probably alert for other human noises or figures. He put a hand over his mouth and tilted his head towards me, "I wish someone had taken my place, too."

I looked at him, really looked at him for the first time since we had run off together. His blue eyes were speckled with green, beautiful but ridden in sadness. I took his hand, half because I wanted to comfort him and half because of Finnick's advice to keep up appearances. The audience would love this exchange between Alec and me; sentimental and heartfelt, maybe even passionate and endearing. They could label it as they wished, but I knew that they would enjoy it nonetheless.

His eyes widened before the lids dropped halfway, hiding a portion of the blue. He squeezed my hand and then stood, helping me up. "Let's find somewhere to hide."

We half walked, half ran for another two hours, until the light had faded from the sky and was peeking between the gaps in trees. We were making progress, but we were both already so tired. If another tribute were to attack now, we would be easy targets. I walked closer to the river, and then saw a splash of water. A fish. My heart jumped with relief. I had fished plenty of times, but the river was travelling downstream really fast here. I wouldn't be able to catch it with my bare hands. I united the rope from around me and got to work on the beginnings of a net. My hands skillfully knotted the ends together, and then laced a tight pattern with holes that were small enough to catch a fish of about four inches or larger.

"You're good with that." Alec said. I hadn't noticed he was watching me until now.

"I was raised in a shipping yard. Tying knots were an everyday thing for me."

His gaze was steady on my hands, and he began to walk behind me, stopping at my shoulder. "It's good."

"It's finished." I added, immediately separating myself from him and marching off towards the bank. My leather boots were strong enough to sustain the gushing waves so I stood in the middle, legs far apart and my hands holding the net open between them. I was there for a few minutes, without catching a single fish. As night descended, the waves grew stronger and I had to dig my boots further into the muddy earth to keep my balance. I knew that within the hour, the river would be too strong and all hopes of catching fish for the night would be gone. Alec was patiently waiting by a tree, his legs outstretched and his arms behind his head. Now, he reminded me of the Alec I had met back at training, the overly-confident, charming one.

After a few more minutes, my legs were growing sore. I was about to call it quits when he called out to me, in a soft voice. "Annie, we'll try something else. Don't waste your energy." His eyes then narrowed, "Is that…" he began, standing up and walking towards me. "It is."

I stepped into dry land, disappointed. "What?"

He picked a leafy plant from the ground and held it up. "Arrowroot: edible and _not_ poisonous."

"How do you know?" the plants here were tricky, the plant master had said it himself.

Alec looked as sure as ever. "It's arrowroot for sure. See how it looks like an upside down mushroom."

"Your right." I said after another examination. I remembered the trainer's talk on the plant. "We'll eat two peanuts each, and some of the root."

He used my knife and the top of a flat rock to remove the leaves and cut the root in slices. We each ate our ration, finding it difficult to swallow the roughness of it and then the anthem came on. It was time to announce today's deaths for all of Panem to see, including us. We settled back into a lifted root and looked up into the sky. My stomach twisted in fear for Lucas, despite Alec's reassurance that he had made it through the cornucopia. There hadn't been any more cannons since.

The first face to appear in the sky was the girl that I had tripped earlier, from District five. All the tributes from one to four had lived. I sighed in relief. Lucas was safe somewhere. Now, I just had to find him. Her partner had been killed too. Next was the girl from six, followed by the boy from eight. Alec exhaled in relief: his sister was still alive. Then there was the girl from nine…both from ten. But my breath caught at the next death. It was the youngest competitor from all of us: the boy from eleven. He was only thirteen years old.

His small body would be sent back to his family, and they would lose a son that shouldn't have even been placed in these barbaric Games in the first place. We were all too young. Not even the careers deserved to be in here. Then, the anthem was gone.

"Who were the last ones?" I asked, still distracted by the young boy's untimely murder.

"The boys from eleven and twelve." He said flatly.

So the girl from twelve had made it through the bloodbath. I began to wonder whether we had all underestimated her. She had either been wise enough to run the other way, or quick enough grab something unnoticed.

"You sleep a few hours, while I keep watch. Then we'll switch."

I nodded, knowing full well that there was no way I would be able to sleep tonight. I thought I trusted Alec, but after seeing the rest of the murders today, I soon learned that no one had sympathy in this arena. They would kill at the first chance. All the Careers had survived. The weakest were dead. If it weren't for Alec guiding me out of the cornucopia, I would probably be dead too. That's where I fit in, along with the weak. Even Alec was able to find food. All I managed to grab were peanuts – a small, insignificant package of nuts. What would the audience think now? The cocky Annie Cresta from the Interview had disappeared and taken form of the cowardly Annie Cresta that I really was. Tomorrow, I needed to try harder to regain that confidence. I needed to embody Azure again. I felt dizzy with my shifting personalities. The idea of my family and friends seeing me on television, as a completely different Annie than the one they knew still nipped at me. But I had to do it - if i wanted to live. I crawled deeper into the trees, grateful for the random shrubs because they were enough to shield me in the night. Nine children would never see their families or friends again. I tried to stay awake, but it wasn't long until my eyelids grew heavy and sleep threatened me, despite the lingering thoughts in my head.

"Goodnight, Annie." I heard Alec say before my eyes slid shut.

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**A/N: Next chapter: Finnick's POV (: Please review?**


	16. Chapter 16

**Chatper 16 –** Finnick

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The control room was buzzing with anxious victors, parading around in worry or pride of their tributes small victories. When they had all been dispatched from the plates, we had all fallen back into our chair, anxiously watching all available screens to find our tributes. The beginning was always so manic that it was impossible to have a camera focused on Annie or Lucas the entire time. The leather underneath my fingernails was good support for sinking into. At first, I though Annie had conjured a tactful plan once she had evaded the initial launch and had headed around the running tributes for rope. It was a good move, she was good with knots and things. But then I saw her darting off in the same direction as the rest and jumped out of my chair in suspense. How could she be so stupid? If she hadn't managed to be one of the firsts at the cornucopia, it was like running straight into your death by wasting those precious seconds. I felt Mags next to me, her hand reaching for mine and squeezing it.

Then there was a girl from ten threatening her with a knife and Annie, helpless on the ground.

"Shit." I murmured, unable to take my eyes off of the screen, even if it meant watching her die within the first minute of the Games. But she didn't. The boy from eight has shot a spear straight through her. I watch Annie struggle to get her off for a few seconds, like a fly struggling against the stickiness of a spider web. Maybe she was fated to die. Maybe this was the easier way for her, instead of having to live a few more days in utter agony. My heart freezes.

Lucas had managed to take a spear from the very top of the pile and on his way down, was intercepted by the girl from six. He easily dug the spear deep into her ribcage, his eyes lethal and adamant on watching the life drain out of her eyes. I had forgotten that Lucas was a Career. I patiently waited to see if he would join the rest, despite the advice we had given him. He was just about to when he saw the girl from seven, Isabelle, on the ground. There was an arrow gashed into her right shoulder. Fortunately for her, she seemed to have her minutes measured and neither of the tributes had bothered with her.

Lucas scooped her up, attentively watching his surroundings and ran off into the woods, where the forest was the thickest.

I've never seen so much rage, so much bloodlust before. The pair from three, Birch and Nixie, are cold-blooded killers. The innocence in her blue eyes and the beauty of her face had fooled us all. Nixie was trained, very well. She was tall, standing at what I gathered to be about 5'9", but graceful and strong. They were acting as a team and it wasn't long until the tributes from one and two were recruited into an alliance.

I find Annie again to see that the girl is off her and she's running again, but this time she meets another threat. The girl from ten has grabbed her. I'm so mad at Lucas for not following the plan. We had specifically told him to ally with Annie and wait for her off the edge of the woods. Amidst my anger, I'm filled with surprise when I see her drop to the ground and kick the girl off her feet. A mentor from six blocks the television set I was watching and once I catch sight of it again, Alec and her are running through the forest, hand in hand. I'm half jealous and half relieved. If he would help her survive, I could deal with the hours of seeing them talking, protecting each other. Things that I so desperately know I should be doing. I see that in the main screen, the one that all of Panem is watching now, the focus on Annie is gone.

"Looks like our tributes have paired up." Johanna said with an attractive smirk.

The little comfort I do find in the idea still frustrates me because Annie is _still _in the Games and she is still in perilous danger from every single moment from now on. "At least they made it through _that_."

Johanna's thin fingers play with the short fringe on her forehead. It's stark darkness against milky white skin. She only nods, an imperceptible frown as she parts her lips. Cashmere, from district one, is smiling with Gloss as they pleasantly watch their tributes taking reign of the cornocupia and surrounding area.

"Your tributes are quite the little killers aren't they?" Johanna turns her head around to Wiress, a mentor for three.

She fixes her glasses, compulsively playing with her shaking fingers. Her thin lips begin to form a sentence but shut tight again.

"We knew they were strong, but..." Beetee, the other victor from three answers. "I don't know where they received their training. We're usually skilled with electronics and wiring, that's where our strengths usually lie."

"Doesn't seem to be the case with them." Johanna said pointedly, leaning back in her chair. "Volts."

I looked sidelong at her, my elbows resting on my thighs.

"Well, my girl looks like she needs some medicine." She says, standing up from her chair with one swift movement. "Time to sleep with some sponsors."

"What?" I demanded. "You _sleep _with your sponsors?"

Gloss laughs from her seat.

This wasn't normal was it? Mags had never told me that could happen…or was even possible. I looked to her for reassurance. Her wrinkled eyes were small and narrowed, directed towards Johanna. "Not everyone finds their sponsors like you do, Johanna."

She laughed, "Of course not. But it damn well is easier than having to pretend to _stand them_ for more than a few minutes."

"But how can you stand _that_?" I asked her, my voice angrier than I intended.

Her jaw clenched, ready to snap back at me before it settled into something impassive. "Morphling. Alcohol. Both effective at lowering your standards and sense of reality."

With that, she left the room, leaving me behind with a sense of disappointment tugging at the pit of my stomach. I had flirted with women before, that was my method of attracting sponsors. But it had never gone beyond that. Johanna was doing a whole other kind of flirting. I had had sex before, but with girls I cared about. Perhaps not loved, but there were definite feelings for them. I couldn't imagine sharing that sense of intimacy with a person you didn't know, much less a person from the Capitol: the spoiled, altered, and shallow people that lived there.

"Don't listen to her." Mags told me, patting my leg. "She's damaged. She has been, even since before the Games. Let's go find our tributes some more sponsors…the dignified way."

"If you don't mind Mags, I think I'll stay here for a while, just to keep an eye on them and make sure they settle well into the night."

She nodded and stood, leaving me with just a few lingering mentors. No one remained from the first three districts. The painful journey had ended early for the mentors from five: both of their tributes had died in the initial bloodbath. From the remaining, one stayed behind to keep watch while the other occupied themselves with sponsors. My eyes never left the screen. Especially not when Alec and Annie settled into a hidden brush together to listen to the cannons. Eventually, I let myself focus on Lucas. It wouldn't be fair if Annie was the only thing occupying my mind. The forest was dark now, the density of the trees making it almost impossible for any trace of moonlight to drift between branches. The terrain was rocky and wet, making some of the tributes that had travelled towards the opposite side of the river slip despite the water-resistant, grippy soles on their boots. Lucas and Isabelle settled on a cave. She was bleeding profusely, clearly nowhere near self-healing for her earlier wound. It was almost as painful as being in the Games myself. Every year, seeing these kids suffering on screen brought back torturous memories that I feared would never leave me. Lucas was stiffly rifled against the rocky walls, grimacing in pain as the jagged edges pierced his back. Isabelle was laying down against the angled plane of a large rock. Her boots were drenched in mud and wet grass as they dug into the dirty undergrowth to keep her hoisted on the rock. I couldn't see Lucas's face, but it was buried in his hands, smeared with dirt and blood, and I didn't have to see it to know he was hurting. He had seemed to have grown some feelings for Isabelle, and now, despite her being the enemy, he wasn't ready to see her die.

Maybe if it was better if she died now.

What was he thinking anyways? That he and Isabelle could have a few intimate moments together before they were at each other's throats with knives and spears. They would eventually have to kill each other. if she'd die at the hands of another tribute, Lucas would be relieved of all blame.

"Found it." I heard the door swing open and shut.

"What?" I asked Johanna.

Johanna kept walking across the room and to the glass door at the end of the room where the Game Makers were busy controlling the Arena. After a knock, Seneca Crane was there with a bored expression. I stood up, curious to see what Johanna was up to.

"Antidote for the girl from District Seven." She instructed. "Immediate delivery."

The middle-aged man with sharp, deadly features nodded and motioned her off, closing the door behind him. Johanna stood there for a few seconds, staring through the glass – probably to make sure they were obedient to her instructions and then let her head fall. She looked at the screen with her tributes, and within seconds, a small blue box with a thin parachute was sent into the arena, travelling through the trees as if their intricate density had momentarily thinned to allow the box to travel without disturbances. It dropped through a hole in the cave, and the camera was on Isabelle and Lucas again. He was up in an instant, rushing toward the box, recognizing it was for Isabelle, and urgently but gently cut the fabric through her shoulder, exposing the bloody wound. Isabelle made a woeful sound and he brought a large hand to the side of her bony face. She shut her eyes tight, and with great immediacy, Lucas began to dab the area.

I tore my eyes away. There was always a small romance with the Tributes. They were all teenagers after all, and sometimes, the circumstances even attracted it. If two Tributes bonded the days before, they would remain close during their time at the arena, even finding comfort in each other. Eventually that led to something else. We would see it, but the citizens of the Capitol never did. To them, it was edited to look like an alliance. They were prohibited to mention anything of the sort during the Interviews, and so it remained a secret, most of the time buried with their remains back in their home Districts. The woe-sick lovers were always one of the first to die, deciding they would sacrifice their life for the sake of the others survival. The remaining half would eventually be driven mad with guilt and lead themselves to peril.

But this, I knew the Capitol citizens were watching this because there was nothing else deemed entertaining. Annie was still sleeping; Alec was still keeping watch. Some other tributes were hunting and some were simply too scared to shut an eye. I wondered if this would hurt Annie's chances of finding more sponsors. Thankfully, there wasn't any need for that yet. She was still unhurt, near water, and with enough food to survive another day. She was okay. She was more than okay, she was good. What could possibly go wrong in the length of a night?

But that was when the ground began to shake.

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**A/N: Even I'M beginning to get nervous! Please review (:**


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17** - Annie

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It was as if the world beneath me had turned to gelatin, letting the winds and other natural forces do with it their will. My body began to tremble, that's how I first learnt there was something off and by the time the rocky hillside beside us had avalanched, I had grabbed Alec by the crook of his arm and dragged him upwards with all the strength I could muster. The rocks skimmed my shoulder but left a nasty gash on his left calf. Instinctively, I want to stop and give him time to rest because he had only had two hours of sleep before _this_ had happened – but the terror of the scene around us signaled me otherwise.

"Stop!" instructs Alec just as I'm reaching a fat, thick tree.

I turn back to look at him to see that he's still groggy and half asleep, but alert enough to jerk me backwards. Lacking all skill and grace, I land clumsily on him and he groans in pain – but doesn't attempt to push me off. Just then a long, skinny tree falls directly in front of me, leaving in its midst a whoosing sound.

"Thanks." I tell him before pushing myself off him. I look up for the sky, but the foliage is so dense I could only catch glimpses of blue. Everything is shaking. Leaves are being thrust off branches and it feels like the whole world would simply break down the middle, in half. I keep my gaze up and then down, temporarily, to climb over the fallen bark. I wanted to find some clear, expanse of land. Somewhere where I knew it'd be secure enough to ward off the threat of falling objects, but there was no time for that. I didn't even remember passing through anything that wasn't entirely coated with green on our way here yesterday. With a little trouble, Alec is finally close to me, staring up at the tree.

"We're not?" he says, flummoxed.

Before he could answer, I'm at work looking for a fallen vine or….

Rope!

The shaking ground throws me off balance and I fall into the mud. I shrink back against the tree and reach for it. My hand juts around my thigh for a minute, not being able to steady itself long enough to find the rope in my pocket, and after righting myself further against the tree, I get enough leverage to get a hold of it.

"Annie!" he says urgenly, and it's the first time I notice he's been in desperate pleas for my attention. "We need to find cover, the ground –" he stops himself and points down. I look at where he's pointing and see it. The rumbling of the earth has finally wrought it apart. There's a small crack a few feet away from us, and it's gradually lengthening. There's also the immediate threat of falling trees and rocks.

"Here." I wrap the rope around the tree and try to reach for his hands so he could grab each end. "Try to climb up with this. This tree…it's large enough so that we won't fall." I have to scream so he could hear me. By now, the rumbling is so terribly loud, I can't even hear the sound of my own voice. "Hurry!"

He's trying to get himself up the tree at once, but it's almost impossible to find a place to put his feet with the ground shaking so much. I hold on to his back, in an effort to hoist him up, but he's too heavy.

"Annie, I can't!" he says breathlessly, his voice cracking in defeat, "You go, I can't get my footing right."

"No!" I tell him firmly, "We're going together or not at all."

"Annie –"

I never found out what he was about to say, because just then, the crack in the earth spreads right towards us and the ground beneath me disappears. I'm hurling downwards into nothingness. And then reach an abrupt stop. My heart is beating so fast, I can hear it above all else – pounding right into my ears. Fearfully, I look up and see Alec, bent at the waist against the split earth with one hand on mine and the other against a shaking tree. If the earthquake thrust it off its roots, we would both be dead.

For a few seconds, we just stare at each other in silence. Both of my arms are wrapped around his for dear life. I'm so scared, my brain begins wheeling about all the things I've never done – the things I was robbed of because of these stupid Games. I grab on harder as my palms begin to sweat. Now, I'm struggling to stay on.

"Alec." I call out to him, his big blue eyes alert and determined. "Alec, you have to let go." I can't believe the words coming out of my own mouth. Since when had I become some sort of martyr? But as it happens, I couldn't bear the idea of Alec dying because of me.

He doesn't respond, but I could tell by the set of his jaw that he isn't going to listen to me. "Alec." I tell him, as my arm slips further down to his wrist. I can feel the sudden pressure in my throat and around my eyes. My life is almost over. I'm dead. "You _can't_ carry me."

His eyes are slits now, bold and adamant. "Stop it, Annie." He grits his teeth together and I notice his knuckles are white on the hand he's using to hold us both up. It would be easier if we weren't both being jerked around like feathers, dancing in the wind. With one vicious lurch, my back crashes against the wall and I can feel the pointy side of a rock plunge into my lower back. I yelp in my pain but bite my lip before I can do anything else. The blood begins quickly, and the bitterness pools.

"ALEC. NOW." I say so loudly, I feel a scratch in my throat. That's when the first tear drifts onto my cheek.

He's been silent this entire time, all the while I'm having an exhausting internal battle with myself. I'd prepared myself for death, I knew it was inevitable and that it would happen sooner rather than later. But I guess I wasn't as ready as I thought. The idea of dying sends a lurch in my stomach. But the more I think about it, the more ill prepared I'll be…

"Alec." I say, more softly this time, making a strained effort to raise my head up towards him. I can see the turmoil in his eyes and the wrinkle in between his dark brows. He doesn't want to let me go, but he also doesn't want to die. He's not ready. I'm not ready. Neither of us are ready. His lips form a frown and he's trying to form words. It's time. He's decided to let me go. I close my eyes. No, I don't want to die in the darkness. I open them again, deciding that the blue caress of his eyes would be enough. The last thing I would ever see again. I can't help but think that if there were more tones of green, they would look like Finnicks. And then the martyrdom I once felt is gone. I can't die. I have to go back home to see my family, my friends…._Finnick_. I promised him I'd come back.

"I'm sorry, Annie." Alec tells me with the saddest voice I've ever heard.

_'No, wait'_, I wanted to say. But it was too late now, I couldn't go back on my own instructions. My grip became looser around his wrist and I was trying to gather up enough willpower to have myself let go when the shaking stopped. Not gradually, but quite abruptly. That same second, the earth was still again and it happened so quickly that my hands slid off of Alec's.

I was about to yell, but there was no time; he had grabbed onto my hand with his, our fingers clasping around each others tightly. I exhaled a deep, long breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. We were both alive. Maybe our little rescue scene had caused such a riot back at the Capitol, that the Game Makers had no other choice but to seize the earthquake themselves. Or maybe, there had been enough deaths for the day and with mine being so dangerously near, they had to put an end to it before there was no show left. I preferred the first.

With struggle, Alec finally had me close enough to the edge so that I could help pull myself up. I didn't think I'd have enough force to do it, but, I realized, there was a lot of motivation due to the bottomless chasm beneath me.

He's cursing underneath his breath and he seems to be slowly digesting everything that just happened. He's patting the floor wildly, and then his eyes land on mine before his face breaks into a smile. It's so contagious, I can't help but smile back and then we're hugging each other, happy to be alive.

"Oh my god." I say into his dirty shirt, my tone uneven and breathy. "What just happened?"

His head falls into my shoulder. "The Game Makers are trying to take things into their own hands." He whispers into my ear. I nod in ascent.

We spend the rest of the day collecting edible plants and berries we find scattered around. The earthquake has left the entire arena a disaster. On some instances, we worry that we'll bump into another tribute, if there were any left. We hadn't heard any cannons, but there was always the chance that they were too far from our range. My thoughts drift to Lucas more than once. He was alive yesterday, but would he today? And what if he was? Somebody would eventually kill him, or me, or Alec. Why _had_ Alec even bothered to save me earlier and why had I bothered to save him? We were all just ignoring the ultimate outcome of the Games: only one of us can live. This game we were playing, saving each other and forming teams, it was all pointless. And the worst part was, I wasn't so sure who I wanted to win anymore. I had been so resolute with my trust in Lucas. I knew that if I wouldn't make it, he _had_ to be the Victor. But now, as I got to know Alec more, I realized he had every right to win as well. We eventually find our way back to the river and fill our canisters before we find a cave that had been undisturbed by the quake. It seemed sturdy enough to live through another one, too – just in case.

Before we had reached the cave, I had managed to recognize a small brush of jewelweed. I remembered the mustard-colored flowers from the plants department in the Training Arena and immediately found a rock to crush it into a poultice for Alec's calf. When it's done, I hand it to him and with a wince, he begins to smother it on.

"And your brother?" I ask him, continuing our conversation outside in hopes of distracting him. "How old is he?"

"Four." he says fondly but then rolls his eyes. "He loves being the baby of the house. All the attention is always on him."

I laugh. "Does he look like you?"

"Do you mean," There's a glint in his eyes, "is he as good-looking as me?" He flashes a brilliant smile. "Not yet, but I'm sure he'll grow into it."

I hate to admit it, but Alec's good-natured arrogance has grown on me. Although I'm not too sure if it's good-natured, or if he's really that much in love with himself.

"How about you?" he prompts.

I feel my eyes sting, but I can't cry. Not now. Not after all the bravery earlier. "My brother, Avan. He's nineteen."

Alec nods in understanding. "Does he look like you?"

I smile a little and shrug. "Not at all."

He raises his eyebrows.

"I'm much prettier."

He bursts out in laughter, the jewelweed now finally applied all around the wound."Well, it looks like I'm rubbing of on you."

I laugh, too. Really, _really_ laugh for the first time in days. "Give me that." I demand as he begins to tear open a bag of peanuts our sponsors had sent just a half hour ago. He's still laughing and lets me have it, giving me a mischievous look.

"You -" he begins but is cut off by the Capitol Anthem. We look at each other, and at the same time, rush outside the cave since there is no view of the sky above from inside it. I wait with baited breath for the news of Lucas's condition; but no one died today. The fact makes me half thrilled and half terrorized. Apparently our group and their earthquake wasn't quite as violent as they'd hoped. It had only happened once in the history of the Games, but I remembered it clear enough to know that we were all in trouble. The Game Makers were far more dangerous than a group of confused, battered teenagers.

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**A/N: Sorry it took me so long guys; I was on vacation for the past week so I hadn't had a chance to write. Next chapter will be Finnick (: Leave me lots of reviews and I'll update faster! x**


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter** **18** - Finnick

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Getting the peanuts was easy enough. Alec had given the signal that he was hungry and Johanna delivered. It wasn't difficult; she has so sponsors already. I had spent nearly forty hours in the Viewing Room with Mags bringing me snacks, but I never noticed I was hungry. I couldn't. Annie had just barely survived an earthquake. I had to resist the urge to run into the bolted room next to ours and attack the Gamemakers. I look up just after the camera leaves Annie and Alec in the cave after the anthem. Apparently the Careers had been forming a small camp near the Eastern part of the Island, where the river spread into a large pond. They had kept most of the food and supplies, each of them carried a weapon, and they were all still alive. It was an ill thought, but I wondered why they had all survived. They were burly, well-trained kids with twisted morals; to them, killing another was like eating lunch. Annie wouldn't be able to kill anyone. She was too good-natured, too gentle.

I looked back to my screen, not caring for the Careers anymore. Annie and Alec were settling into sleep, both leaning against the same flat rock. They were talking too low for the microphones to hear and had their faces angled toward each other, probably trying to keep anyone from reading their lips. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees when a sudden pang of anger overwhelmed me. _What was she thinking? _Didn't she realize she would have to kill him? Why were they wasting time getting to know each other now?

Maybe she had feelings for him.

_No._ She told me she didn't the night after the interviews.

But the arena does have a way of changing your perception of things.

Johanna pulled up a seat beside me. "Finnick." She began, "We're going to chat up the Capitol…get sponsors. You haven't left here and your usuals are beginning to question the faith you have in your tributes." She shook her head disdainfully, "It doesn't look good on your part."

"What about Mags?" I asked her. Annie was asleep now, completely unaware of the longing in Alec's eyes as he stared at her. Could she be naïve enough not to notice the way he _looked_ at her?

"Not the same, you know that." Johanna leaned in closer, watching a victor from District nine cross the room behind her. "You reel in the sponsors. Mags…she's just an old lady."

I'm half offended by her words, but I know she's telling the truth. Mags had connections, but ultimately, sponsors were attracted by my charm – and dare I say it, my looks. "Ok. Lets go."

She takes me into a bar nearby. A place where a group of wealthy citizens have gathered to brag about their bets on tributes. From the moment I step inside, the air reeks of alcohol and cigarettes. The crowd is colorful, there's a man with blue skin and black hair behind the counter, preparing drinks for a lady with pale brown skin and eyebrows painted at an awkward angle and lips that have been plumped one too many times. Johanna makes a beeline to a round table in the middle where Gloss and Glimmer are sitting, watching the television.

"Nixie's going to win it all." I hear the woman with the awkward eyebrows say aloud. "That girl's got chutzpah."

The bartender nods his head in ascension. "I think the girl from seven is just trying to find the right moment to –" he pulls his hand across his throat in a slicing motion, "That boy from four's a complete sucker."

"Quite a handsome fool if you ask me." prompts a woman.

"What I want to know is," a big man with earrings all over his face approaches them, "how has the blind girl made it so far?"

The bartender shrugs. "She's hiding. She's been up in the trees the whole time. Just wait until one of the others find her."

The bar is filling up and there's more people gathering to join the conversation.

"The boy from one is going to be victor this year –"

"I'm surprised anyone from District 12 has made it this far at all –"

"Looks like the girl from District 4 has gotten lucky." That comment caught Finnick's attention more than the rest. "If it hasn't been for the boy, Alec, she'd surely be dead by now."

There was a mutual agreement within the crowd. "Finnick's kids are disappointing this year."

_No._ it couldn't have gone this far. I couldn't have been gone for _that long._ Suddenly, I'm off my chair and making my way through the outer edges of the gaggle. I see a woman I recognize and she flushes before giving me a wink. I wink too, but only to indulge her.

"Did I hear my name and disappointment in the same sentence just now?" I say airily, making my voice loud.

The woman with the eyebrows comes closer. "The girl, Annie is it, she's as frail as a feather."

I feel like an iron hand has closed around my chest. "How could you doubt my tributes?" I ask innocently, gently grabbing the woman's shoulder. "She's made it this far hasn't she?" I look around the room to see I hold everyone in rapt attention. "It's called strategy, my friends."

A round woman is looking at me like if I'm a pot roast, beckoning her into a feast. These are the moments when I wish I wasn't so attractive.

"Finnick, darling, I want to believe you." Says the woman, getting closer until our chests are touching. "But I have my doubts."

I smirk, but her closeness is making me uncomfortable. "Then set them free. A lady as pretty as you should have no doubts."

She pulls back, hiding the furious blush in her cheeks. Another woman sighs wistfully as she watches on. The women are easily won over, at least. "Now, who's ready to place their bets on District 4?"

"Hmph." Says the bartender grumpily. "Anyone can see that betting for your tributes would be like letting the blind lead the blind. It isn't going to get us anywhere. We'll just lose our money."

There's a rapid spark of anger rushing through me, but I continue to keep my calm. I notice Johanna is standing, ready to help if I should require it. "Let everyone think as they wish." I tell him with an easy smile and a tense edge to my voice. "After all, it's a game isn't it? Let them chance it."

The Bartender clenches his fists. "You think you're God's gift to man Odair."

"Well." I say with a roguish grin. "No use in denying the truth."

He scowls before twisting his ugly face into an arrogant smirk. "You're just like Annie - pretty for nothing."

I can feel my insides burning. This man has no right to talk about Annie that way, and that look on his face after he says it. It drives me mad. That's when I punched him. Before he could realize what was happening, a piercing scream came from the television over us. A tribute had died.

That's enough of a distraction for Johanna to pull me by the arm and jerk me out of the bar. We're both running through the streets as some people are coming out of their houses, probably to talk about the most recent death. This is exciting news for the Capitol. It gives them something new to talk about it.

We're finally outside the building when Johanna turns on me. "Are you crazy?" she yells, throwing her arms out to the sides in a helpless plea. "You're a crap mentor! How the _hell_ are you planning on getting sponsors for your tributes like _that?" _her voice is all surprise and anger.

"What?" Now it's my turn to be upset. I thought she would be on my side, not with some crazy, ignorant citizen. "So was I supposed to sit back and let them bash _my_ tributes?"

"They weren't bashing your tributes, Finnick! They were telling you what they thought of Annie. You should be using this to help her get stronger." Her voice is lower now, but her eyes are still narrowed into slits: like pots of melted gold. "They're right, you know. Annie isn't good. She isn't even…working an angle…"

"Yes she is." I say, seething. "She's being brave, she's forming alliances –"

"Alliances?" Johanna snorts derisively. "I didn't know that last-minute flings were now called _alliances._"

"She isn't….Annie doesn't –"

Johanna opens the door and I follow, furious. "Right. Like Annie and Alec are really trying to look out for each other." she hits the elevator button. "Don't let your personal feelings get in the way."

I can only stare at her. What does she mean by personal feelings?

"It's obvious you care about her, FInnick." She isn't defensive anymore, instead, she looks worn out and tired. "I've never seen you stay in the Viewing Room for so long, and don't think I haven't noticed who's screen you're looking at."

My throat is dry. Mentors aren't supposed to develop feelings for their tributes. It's unprofessional, and a waste of time; we all know there's a good chance we'll never see them again. "I tried not to…"

She's watching me. Her eyes intent on mines, as if she's searching for something I'm hiding in there. "Care for her?"

I nod, suddenly losing interest in this conversation with Johanna. She has her jaw set, making her cheekbones come out more. The fine angles of her face playing against the shortness of her dark hair.

"Well, don't get too attached." She finally says after a moment of silence. The elevator beeps and the bronzed doors open. "It isn't looking good for her."

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**A/N: Very quick update! I hope you're all pleased (: Thank you for all your reviews!  
+ Oh, and a quick side note: A few chapters ago, someone commented saying that Isabelle was supposed to be in District 8, not 7. Well, apparently she **did** start out in 8, but I, without noticing, changed her and Alec to 7 so that I can include Johanna more in this fic. Either way, now they're 7 and I'm sorry if it caused any confusion! And with that being said, I'm still learning new things and constantly trying to improve my writing, so thank you to everyone who has pointed out any mistakes. I don't notice them sometimes and it really helps to have someone else correct them.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19** - Annie

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We hadn't had a chance to leave our cave for hours. While we slept, rocks had slipped out of place and avalanched us inside. We were sore and tired from digging and pushing. There was no way out. We tried to talk to keep calm, but after the first few hours, we had run out of things to talk about and the pressing danger of our situation was nearly choking us. I was still by the rocks, my fingers were bruised and bleeding and I'd lost a nail. I tried feeling around for an empty space, but there wasn't any. Then I began to pull at the outer corners, trying to get a grip on the rigid surface. I threw my body down towards the floor, putting all my weight against one rock against the, what seemed like, thousand others. I pulled until my shoulders felt like they would come straight out of their sockets. Nothing was happening, nothing even _moved._ I let go, my body crashing into the ground in one hopeless heap.

What were we going to do now? I didn't even dare bring it up. Would we both just wait here until dehydration and starvation claimed us? I wasn't sure if I preferred a slow death or just a quick swipe of a knife. I'll kill myself, I decided. It was the quickest and most noble way. There was no use in killing Alec. I might as well take my own life instead.

But whenever thoughts of death busied my mind, I could see everything else so clearly…it hurt. The image of Avan and me on the beach, Fillippa running towards us with a cheery smile; my dad coming through the front door smelling of fish and ocean water as my mother helped him out of his heavy fishing jacket; Finnick and me on the roof of our temporary holding place, his hand on my cheek and his face just inches from mine…

"Annie?" I heard Alec, like a distant bell far, far away from me. That voice didn't belong here. It was just Finnick and me up here, on the roof. Alec shouldn't be interfering."Are you okay?"

Begrudgingly, the image began to disappear, but I tried everything in my power to clutch it back into my grasp until there was nothing left. I turned my attention to Alec. He looked worried, more worried than before.

"You're crying."

I was about to open my mouth in protest, when I felt a single tear fall from eye and down my cheek. I _was_ crying. What was wrong with me?

"Oh no, I think it's just all the…dust."

"Dust?" I can tell he doesn't believe me.

I nod my head. "Yes, I think it got in my eye or something."

Just then, there was the sound of rocks crashing against each other on the floor. His head perks up to look at me with a new jilt of enthusiasm. "We got it to move."

I couldn't help it. I was excited, too. Instantly, we began to claw our way through, finding that the fallen rocks had really made a difference in the weight. A few agonizing minutes later, the first beam of sunlight entered the cave. I smiled, my cracked lips tense against my face. I realized how dry I felt. The effects of dehydration were quick. My movements were slower and it was harder to focus. Worse than that, it wasn't the first time I had seen Avan and my parents. Once, it even felt like they were sitting right next to me in the cave. They didn't even try to help me. I was so angry. I worked even harder to move the rocks. I'll show them. I'll show everyone what little Annie Cresta can do.

Then everything began crashing down on us. I jerked myself backwards, throwing myself as far from the wall as I could. I searched frantically for Alec, but everything was cloudy and covered in smoke and debris. The sun was all around me then, breaking around the smoke. I stood up and moved forward to find him. Knowing that we had just made enough noise to give our position away, I decided against calling out for him. I would just have to use my eyes to catch sight of him. Then, finally, I saw him, waist-deep in rocks. I rushed toward him, his eyes lit up when he saw me, and I began digging.

"Almost." I told him once, low enough so that no one could hear. Once he was free, we moved outside of the cave. The smoke had cleared by then, and the brightness of the outside greeted us like a bucket of ice water in the morning.

"Can you walk?"

He staggered forward a little, losing his balance and then regaining it. "yeah, I'm fine."

I was about to suggest staying here for a bit, before the dryness in my mouth reminded me of how long overdue a drink of water was. "We need to find the river again."

He agreed with me. We were so far into the forest and had been stuck in the cave for so long, I had completely forgotten where we had come from. Every tree, every bush: it all looked the same to me. Seeing the same confusion on Alec's face, I just turned into a broken path with fewer trees, desperately hoping I was going the right way. With time, Alec's gait was becoming more ragged and he was almost out of breath. Determined as I was, I couldn't just continue treading without a break – just a small one.

"Let's rest." I suggested with a supportive smile. "I think we're both pretty worn out from earlier."

A flash of hesitation crossed his face, but then he agreed. "I got sort of scratched up." He rolls up his black pants, identical to mine, and unties the upper half of his leather boot to expose skin. It was red with fresh marks and bruises, like my hands. "We don't have any leftover medicine do we?"

I shake my head grievously and crawl over to him. "Let me have a look."

I can feel his eyes on me as I study his legs and then his hands. We're so close and for the first time I wonder what Finnick must be thinking, if he's watching, that is. Reflexively, I inconspicuously shrink away from him and look up at the sky. it's cloudy and pregnant with rain. I shut my eyes thinking about how rain would be the last thing we needed right now. We had no shelter. We had nowhere else to go.

"We need medicine." I say, my head angled up as if I were asking the Gods. Then again, in our situation, the Capitol and its citizens were responsible for keeping us alive. I think that was more prevalent.

"It might take a while." _If it comes at all_.

"Thanks." He tells me, the blue of his eyes looking darker with the lack of sunlight. His lids were closing, heavy with sleep.

"No, don't go to sleep." I entreat him gently. "We have to keep moving."

"Just…" he mumbles, "just a minute…okay?"

My insides are contradicting the very idea of just sitting here in the open air for anyone to see. We had been lucky to not have an encounter with another tribute; I didn't want to start now. But as I continued to speak, my own eyelids were feeling heavy. And then the peacefulness of sleep enveloped me.

Everything was okay, for now.

When we were startled awake, everything was far from okay. I felt Alec shaking me to see Birch and Atticus (the boy from two) were just a few feet away from us. I panic. I'm unarmed. There was no way we could take on a pair of boys twice our size, without any weapons. I can see the steely threat of Birch's axe and notice a spear in Atticus's hand. Alec is standing tall, with feet wide apart, seemingly trying to come up with an escape route in his head.

But before my brain is functioning, they're running at us. I'm paralyzed with fear, and Atticus is just close enough to grab me when my cognitive processes kick into gear again. I dodge a swipe of his spear, just centimeters over my head and stumble over a tangle of leaves before I begin to run at the fastest speed I can muster.

In a matter of seconds, the sun has finished descending into the earth. I'm still running, finding it hard to find a smooth trail as trees whip in my face and scratch my arms. It's so hard to see in the dark. But I'm so panicked and ridden in fear, I don't dare stop. I'd rather suffer the stings of thorns than the wrath of a spear through my chest. Soon enough, the other pair of footsteps decimates. I can only hear mines now, and the ragged intake of my breath disrupting the tranquility of the forest. I couldn't see anything in front of me but the brownness of a stalk of strong bark. I don't even remember climbing up the tree. It must've been the adrenaline, and I could still feel my hands shaking. I laid them flat against the fleshy wood, hoping it would absorb the shock, but it didn't. My calloused, bruised hands were still uncontrollably fidgeting.

Up in the trees, the quiet, it curdled up in my stomach like spoiled milk.I had left Alec behind. I didn't know where Lucas was.. I was _so_ afraid, afraid that I would die. Atticus was coming so fast….I panicked. My body begins to break into broken sobs. He was in no condition to be left alone, Alec, there was no way he could defend himself against Birch and Atticus. I _should've _stayed_._ I was supposed to stay with him. We were a team. I know he would've done the same for me. He _had_ done the same for me.

There was movement beneath me, and a flash of black hair. Was it Alec? I was just about ready to climb down and run to him – ignoring the pain in my battered limbs – and apologize for leaving him behind when I heard him speak, muttering swear words loudly as he examined an area in his arm. It was the boy from District eleven. He stops, panting from a long run and scouts the area. My chest tightens, wishing he wouldn't look up. He seems to be travelling on his own, maybe even having encountered the Careers himself on his way here. His eyes drifted up to the sky, and I hold my breath. If it were possible, I would've stopped my heart; it was beating so loud, I was afraid he would hear it. It seemed to be the only thing _I_ could hear. And just as quickly as he came, he was gone.

I pressed my back against the tree, clutching at my chest and sat like that for a while. I don't know for how long. My eyes fixed on a spot ahead of me and I just tried to calm myself. Occasionally, my breathing sounded like choked gasps, while at other times it remained steady and slow. I felt like two people in the same body.

And then I saw him. I saw Alec.

He was in front of me, sitting on a branch that was too thin to support his tall frame. I reached out in front of me, nearly losing my balance before I shot my arm out beneath me to pull myself against the branch. He was smiling at me and I whispered, "_Alec._"

He didn't say anything, but he was still smiling. My eyes must've been the size of saucers. I was begging,silently begging for him to come to me. But he didn't seem to budge. He seemed so careless, so much like the Alec I had met back in the Training Gym.

"We still haven't gone out on that date." I can hear his voice, but his mouth isn't moving. It isn't normal, but I don't care. I'm thrilled that he's here again.

"Alec?" I blinked hard, dismissing tears, and opened again. He was gone. My heart jumped to my throat. Had he fallen? I looked down in panic, half expecting to see a limp body sprawled out on the mud. There was nothing. I gasped, finding it hard to swallow. I held on to the branch tighter and tighter, until the contact of the hard wood scratching against my skin was strong enough to draw blood.

Where did he go? I was _so_ sure he was safe…

When I crane my neck up, back to the place where Alec had just been, something in the distance catches my eye – the warm light of what had to be a fire. There was somebody nearby. Four people in one day, that was far more than what Alec and I encountered when we were together. I fleetingly hoped that it would be him over there, but I wasn't ready to face the anchoring weight of more disappointment. At any rate, I wasn't in the mood to execute much more physical activity. My legs and arms had already given out and limply falling against either side of the branch. I knew what I must look like to the audience watching back in the Capitol: pathetic and weak. Unless they counted my slight moment of hysteria as eventful, I was no longer interesting. The glow of fire caught my attention again. Was there someone so foolish as to start a fire in the dead of night? It must've been visible for at least a mile. I squinted, trying to get a better glimpse of the figure and gathered enough to know it was a girl, with long dark hair. I tried to think of the girls that were left, but my mind was drifting in and out of focus. A nagging feeling told me that it was Isabelle - but wasn't she travelling with Lucas? A part of me wanted to warn her of the inevitable; what would happen if she didn't put it out. But then I remembered that this wasn't a place for charity. I wondered how long it would be before thirst and hunger compelled me out of my hiding place.

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**A/N: Ahhh so many reviews! THANK YOU! After seeing how excited you guys were, I knew I had to post another chapter asap. And, I'm also noticing that you guys like the Finnick chapters more than Annies, so I'm going to try and make his a little longer - but there are some parts that I feel would be better explained from Annie's POV so I'm not going to take them out completely. Also, this is my first attempt at explaining Annie's gradual descent to madness, how'd it come out? I thought that since in the books she sort of tunes out the bad and instead imagines her own things, the temporary hallucinations/memories would be fitting.**

If i get more of your fantastic reviews, I will have a new chapter up by Tuesday (or if you're extra generous with reviews, by the end of the weekend!) :D


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20** - Finnick

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I was giving some other places a try. I hadn't dared go back into the bar I visited last night, not after everything that happened. The streets were crowded, as they always were during the day. There were big screens everywhere in the main square, and they were always buzzing with excitement and gossip. Sometimes the victors mingled amongst them, talking up their tributes – but I couldn't. I had tried earlier in the afternoon to do what I did last year – go back and forth between the dim-witted citizens and make them believe anything I told them. I would glance up at the screen, making a disapproving sound when another district kid came on the screen and diverge how my tribute would've handled a specific scenario differently, with more style. Now, as I walked around and looked up at the screen, all I could see was Annie, running from two Career tributes whom were both obviously unfairly matched against her. Then, when she ran off without Alec, I wasn't sure if I was happy or overwrought. She was running through the woods, unarmed and in a panicked frenzy. Alec had stumbled off, but not without having Birch cut his thigh. Alec hadn't been able to kill him, but he had thrown off balance after leading him into a thorny shrub that easily snaked around his massive ankles. That's when I prompted to act. If Annie was alone, it would be soon before she encountered another threat. I had to get her some sort of weapon.

Nearing nightfall, I saw Gillian – a gracious sponsor last year – sitting on the grass with a glass of something fizzy. The distant look in her eyes and unnatural giddiness to her demeanor told me she was already drunk. Perfect.

"Gillian." I flashed her a bright smile, pleased to see her catch her breath.

"Finnick, darling!" she told me, beckoning me to sit down beside her. "I haven't seen you since the Games commenced. Have you been avoiding me?" Her unnatural silver eyes glittered with mischief.

"Avoiding you?" I teased, "Now, there is no reason why I would want to go so long without seeing your pretty face."

She giggled, nearly spilling her glass of champagne. "You should talk. If there has ever been a face as handsome as yours…"

I shrug, not wanting to hear the rest of her compliment. Anything that didn't come from Annie's lips felt wrong. "You are giving me far too much credit, Gillian."

"So modest." She grins as her hand inches closer to mine, our fingers touching. The sensation of it puts me off, but I know this is the only way to tempt her to make an offer.

"What do you think of my tributes this year?" I ask her, my voice laced with feigned intimacy.

She hesitates, taking a sip of champagne before answering me. "I liked the girl, Annie. She did quite well in the interview. But lately, she's just been proving to be rather dull." She stared into my eyes thoughtfully, "She was so vivacious, so full of confidence! What happened to her all of a sudden? It's like her light extinguished."

I tried to think of something to say, something that would instill a sense of adventure and mystery in her. "Well, you know a girl when she's in love, don't you? You look like the type to have broken many hearts." I say confidently, lowering my voice in confidence, "And I'm sure you still do."

She titters, unwrinkling her purple skirt. I urge her on, "She's been thrown into all of this with…with…" it takes me a moment to form the words in my mouth. "Alec, the boy from 7, and they…they fell in love when they first met. And now…they're separated." It was easy to sound hurt, because in fact, the situation was analogous to _me_ and Annie too.

She squeals. "That poor thing. I do understand, really, but there's no way to make them happy." She clasps her hands over her mouth, "The poor things."

"You know what his final wish is?" I tell her.

She shakes her head dismally, but there's a hunger in her eyes to know more. Probably to be able to run back to her friends and tell them about what she heard from Finnick Odair.

"That Annie return home, alive." For a moment, I can hear the urgency in my own voice.

"Oh my." She's really affected by the news. "How can I help?"

I frown, keeping my expression soft and sympathetic. "I need to get her a knife."

"Oh, is that all?" she exhales, "Of course, consider it done."

I smile at her, but this time, I don't have to force it. "You're a good woman, Gillian." And for good measure, even take her hand in mine.

"Now, what do you think she'll need to get her to stop talking to herself?" she asks me, her face creased in worry.

I'm taken aback, "To stop _what?"_

She bites her lip, obviously not used to having to be the bearer of bad news, and gesticulates towards the screen. There she is, Annie, with her bright sea-green eyes and dark, messy hair talking to nothing but thin air. I lean forward in horror. She's calling out for Alec, and some of the people watching are laughing. _Laughing. _

"Oh, she's just _so_ in love." Gillian screeches beside me.

I'm intently staring at the television, shell-shocked with this new revelation. How long has it been since she's eaten or even drank anything? I try to think back and remember and realize that it's been at least 16 hours, spanning from the time she was stuck in the rock up until now. I'm about to gather myself up to stand when the screen numbs my muscles. Annie was smiling, the way she used to smile when she spoke to me about something familiar, something that meant something to her. For a fleeting second, I feel the tips of my mouth going up. I'm fooled to thinking that whatever it is she's doing, it's helping her get through the excruciating hours or days that lie ahead. But once I get a firm grip on reality again, I realize that her losing Alec _and _Lucas in the Games, are driving her to see hallucinations of them.

Neither were dead yet, but a part of me wished that another natural disaster would take them both to their graves. If Annie was fortunate enough (and I hoped she was) to be one of the last standing and was left with either Lucas or Alec, she wouldn't kill them. I didn't even want to think so far into it. I could only anticipate that it wouldn't. Then, I was slammed with another surge of dread. Lucas was my tribute _too_ and I wasn't paying him the attention he deserved. It was a good thing to find out that Mags was taking care of him, but I still felt like I needed to do something for him.

"Such a pretty little thing." I hear the woman say with a sympathetic coo.

I had no time to waste. Gillian already gave me what I wanted, now I had to go and find Annie food and water. "I don't mean to rush, but if you could just send over your donation soon –"

"Of course!" she interrupts, seeming aghast after envisioning my anecdote in her head. "I'll send it straight away."

The next thing I do is find Mags, all the while battling images of the Annie on screen now to the Annie of just a few days ago. It's like she's a completely different person, and I completely expected it, but the change is so striking, it shocks me. Annie, who know had a wild look to her otherwise peaceful eyes; with her dark brown hair now tangled in knots and leaves; with dirt smudged on her face and blood on her hands. Everything about her is startling. Running blindly through the crowds, I finally spot Mags, talking to a middle-aged man. I hastily pull her aside.

"Did you see what's happening to Annie?" I say, my voice only loud enough so she could her.

She nods her head somberly. "I've already altered the story –"

"Me too."

"Now, we can just hope for the best, love." She tells me in a soothing voice. Later that night, I took my worries to the nearest bar until the screen showing Annie waking up from nightmares and dozing off again after speaking to the air in front of her didn't seem like such a bad thing at all. The alcohol almost made me forget the gut-wrenching pain I felt whenever I thought of her.

That night I dreamt of a woman with long blonde hair and deep green eyes. She smiled at me tenderly, and her long fingers were outstretched and trying to reach me. I couldn't see myself, but I saw my hand posed in a fashion similar to hers. I _wanted_ to touch her again. It had been four years since I had seen my mother. Four years since I had felt the comfort of her presence and the warmth of her embrace. She was calling to me, her voice like music until it curdled into a piercing cry for help.

"_Mom_!" I called, now frantically waving my arms out in front of me as she receded more into the distance. I tried moving, but my legs weren't working. It felt like I didn't have any. "_Mom!"_ I said again, until she was just a long white figure against black. Before she was gone, she cried again, her voice ringing in my ears.

And then I woke up. I bring my hand up to my face to look at the time. It was 3 p.m. My eyes burned at the contact with sunlight. I was in my bed, back in the apartment I had shared with Annie and Lucas before they'd left, fighting off a terrible headache. I felt like there were small, bitter men pounding angrily at my brains. I exhale loudly, trying to erase the dreams of my mother. I shouldn't have drank so much. I should be alert and aware of what my tributes need, but I'm not. I'm in my bed, lacking any capability of standing up again. I was just about to throw the covers back over my head, when the phone on the nightstand rings. My hand reaches for it and pulls it off the receiver.

"Hello?" I say groggily into the mouthpiece.

"Finnick." It's Mags on the other end, sounding a bit terrified. I jump, knowing that it is very rare to get Mags worked up about anything. "Finnick." She says again, and I try to ignore the pulsing in my head.

"Mags, what's wrong? Tell me."

She's silent for a moment, and I can hear voices in the background that can only mean she's in the Viewing Room. "He died."

Immediately, my head drifts to Lucas and suffer a sharp skip in heartbeat. "Who? Lucas?"

"No, he's still safe…he's alive." I can hear her clear her throat. "It's Alec, he died. Annie's with him and shes –"

She didn't even have to finish the sentence. I knew what this could only mean for Annie. She must be shattered. "I'm on my way." I finished before hanging up and running to the closet for a fresh change of clothes.

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**A/N: I just wanted to let you all know that I'm practically jumping off my seat with excitement. So many reviews! again! THANK YOU! :D  
I tried uploading this yesterday, but kept giving me an error message :| At any rate, I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter - please review, lovelies!**

Hint: There's going to be a really nasty twist in the next chapter.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21** - Annie

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I never had the chance to tell him about Isabelle. She had died late into the night, so she hadn't been included in last night's anthem. I'd received a fine knife early in the morning, I knew it must've cost Finnick and Mags a lot of money, but I was finally happy to have some sort of protection with me. Once I had collected some berries from a nearby bush, I retraced my steps to the clearing I had last seen Alec in yesterday night. I was determined to find him, or at least find out if he was still alive. I travelled all morning, and by noon the sun was hot against my neck. I reached for the hair tie Helia had packed before I left and pulled my hair up. I was even beginning to miss him a little, too. The heat was scorching, the temperature had risen exponentially in comparison to the days before. Maybe this was another way to get the tributes out and about. Another scheme the Gamemakers had thought up. If Alec were here, we'd talk about it and maybe even find a way to outsmart them. The thought of him still missing filled me with dread.

I passed the river and purified it before storing it in my canister. I took a few sips and then continued on my way, hoping that with the water, I would be able to clear my head and find him quicker. I hadn't heard a cannon fired since the death of the girl I figured was Isabelle. That was a good sign, at least. I spent a little while searching before I found him. He was sprawled on the ground, looking paler than I had ever seen him. I fleetingly wondered how he had managed to stay here all night and half the day, unnoticed.

"Alec." I say as I threw myself down next to him, "Alec, talk to me….ALEC."

His eyes begin to flutter open, and I can see that he's dying. I don't know how I could tell, but it's a prickling sense in my gut. "Hey," I smile wide, "Here, have some of this." I lift his head onto my lap and begin feeding him small sips of water. It takes him time to lift his head enough to swallow, but I'm patient and make sure that I'm giving him all the help possible. It's a long while before he decides he's had enough. I bring my hands up to his face, and that's when I really notice how pale he is. The difference in the tones of our skin is like a slap in the face. Very gently, I wipe away strands of black hair stuck to his forehead. His eyes begin to close again.

"Alec, no, you need to stay awake." I try to say as calmly as possible. "You shouldn't be sleeping right now."

His lids bolt open, and this time, he's looking at me with the royal blue of his eyes. They're so distant, so disconnected from the world. I have to will myself to keep the tears away. "Hey, how about I tell you a story?"

He doesn't seem to hear me at first, but then nods.

"Have you ever had ice cream before?" I asked him, deciding on what I would tell him about. He shakes his head lamely. "Well, it's like ice…like balls of ice you make with milk and sugar. Milk is hard to get in my District, but my father, he's lucky enough to run his own shipping yard. He can buy us the ice cream sometimes." I know that as my story continues, the Gamemakers will divert the camera away to another tribute. They didn't like it when other Districts found out about each other and how they were run. It was dangerous information. "Except, we could never afford vanilla or chocolate to add flavor. My mother first suggested making it when we were younger; I was about four and Avan was nearly seven. We wanted to taste is so badly; you see, she'd told us stories about how delicious it was from when my grandmother used to make it for her as a child. Avan and I were _craving_ it. " I looked down at him to see that his eyes were still open. I smiled, placing my hand gently on his forehead. He was heating up. "So, since we lived on the ocean, we went out to the beach and tried to find something to use as flavoring. Avan's first attempt was a shell." Alec managed a chuckle, and instantly, my spirits brightened. "I know. How could you eat a shell of all things?" I giggled, "It was impossible. But before I could tell him no, I found something else. It was long and green and sort of slimy. I thought, this _must_ be better than shell-flavoured ice cream. So I picked up the seaweed and ran back to the house with Avan. We were going to present our findings to our parents to see which one was better suited for the ice cream. Obviously, my mother chose the seaweed."

I pushed away another strand of hair. "Avan was furious. But figures, its been his favorite ever since."

Alec was comfortably nestled into my legs now and had his lips tight in thoughtful consideration. "I think I'd like to taste seaweed ice cream."

The corners of my eyes prickled. I was beginning to think I shouldn't have told him about ice cream. And the worst part was that we both knew he would never taste it. I forced myself to smile down at him, "You've had ice before?"

He nods.

"Well, its like that, just creamier…and it's green."

The look in his eyes is only feeing the sadness building up in my chest. "Like your eyes?"

I could feel them tearing up, but I wouldn't let the tears fall. I couldn't. I didn't want him to feel sad In his last moments of his life, I wanted to make him remember how good his life was, despite its briefness. "A little bit, yeah. Maybe a little bit of a darker green."

He inhales a short breath. "Am I going to die, Annie?"

My fingers begin to stroke his cheek. "Who hurt you?"

He swallows, hard. "The boy from 3, Birch. His axe." He bites back what I can only assume to be a painful memory. "it went right through my thigh. I lost…a lot of blood."

I hadn't noticed it before, but his pants were soaked in blood. There was broken fabric and all I could see was the deep open sore of wounded flesh. The sight turned my stomach and I couldn't look for more than a second before jerking my head away. I checked to see if he had noticed, but he was busy staring at it. Without thinking it over, I tore off half of my sleeve.

"What are you –" he began to ask, but once I began wrapping dutifully away at the wound, he stopped.

I made sure to cover it as quickly and tightly as I could, half because of the creeping nausea and half because I didn't want either of us to be looking at it anymore. "I'll just unwrap it once we find medicine and then," I winced, "Wrap it up again with new fabric."

My thoughts were torn in a million different directions. I knew the cut must be infected beyond repair, but I couldn't help but hope for a chance of recovery. I needed Alec, just a little longer. It was selfish, but I knew that he was giving me strength to keep fighting. My tumultuous night was enough evidence for that. I kept remembering seeing him, and my family appearing, taking over my head. Instead of dealing with the helpless sense of loneliness, I kept thinking of the past, of times that I was anywhere but here. And that's what I wanted to do now, get lost in memories instead of looking at Alec, waiting until he took his very last breath.

"I miss Isabelle." He says in a quiet whisper, interrupting my thoughts.

All this time, I hadn't once considered how Alec felt about having his sister out here with him. Not once, had I suggested we go find her or find out how she's getting on.

"She's my little sister." He began, his voice heavy with remorse. "I couldn't even believe we'd both been reaped. It had never happened before." He coughs hoarsely. "But I knew that I couldn't be near her…not when we were in here."

It's like I have so much to say and it all bottle necked at the pit of my throat. All I'm worried about is if I can breathe. If I had been reaped with Avan, I don't know what I would've done.

"Do you think you could find her…just make sure she's okay?"

I shake my head, "I'm not leaving you here, Alec."

He laughs sadly, "I thought you might say that."

"We're going to get you better." I promise, knowing that I wouldn't be able to keep it.

His head is bent and he's looking off in the distance, like he's been doing since he started talking about Isabelle – but there's something different about his face now. His eyes are wide in alarm and his lips part. "Annie, take out your knife." He says urgently.

I follow his gaze, my heart beating madly, and then I see it. Paisley, the girl from twelve. She can't see us, but she's heard us. In her hand, there's a bloody arrow and in the other, a long knife. A cannon goes off from a few feet away.

She's killed someone.

Gently, I lower Alec's head, keeping my eyes fixed on her. She's moving forward, her movements slow and deliberate, and before I'm up, she's running at me. I grab my knife from my belt and jostle it at her, every cell in my body fizzing with fear at having to use a knife for the first time. Would today be my first murder? I'm not ready! When she's close enough, I lose my strength and dart to the side, throwing my back against a tree. She stops moving after passing Alec a few steps and looks down. I catch my breath, feeling as if my lungs wouldn't be able to handle anymore of my ragged breathing. There was no way she could see him there, no way.

"I'm blind." She says out loud with a monotonous voice. "But I can hear you. I can smell you. I can _feel_ you."

My pulse quickens. I dare not move. That would give my position away.

"And I can smell blood, lots of it."Her head twirls with deadly precision at the spot where Alec is and my heart plummets as I put a hand out to steady my weakening limbs. "And I can hear you." Her knife is pointed at me now.

At first, I stand there in silence. I drown in the realization of what's about to happen. She was challenging me, and I had to fight back – it was the only way to save us both. "Well then," I say, diverting her attention from Alec, who is now looking at me with panic in his eyes. "Why don't you just kill me then? I'm right here."

She pulls her knife up to level with her shoulders. "Don't think I wont."

My knife is ready, too, but it's quivering in my grasp and feels so wrong there. Out of nowhere, the image of Finnick with his trident comes to mind. He's a good person and he was put under the same circumstances as me, and even he had to kill. I tried to think of his voice and morph it into some encouraging words that would help me get through this. I was drawing a blank and so I gathered my courage and ran at her, my knife out in front of me. Her head perks up in my direction and she ducks, knocking me over with the flat side of the arrow. When I'm on the floor, inches away from Alec, I thrust my leg out in front of me and swing it towards her legs but she jumps. I'm taken aback by her skill. I was beginning to think her blindness was all a big façade. I hoist myself up with my arms and see that she's halfway to Alec.

"I'm over here!" I scream, unable to hide the terror in my voice. "You aren't running, are you?"

I can see her matted brown hair shake. She's getting too close. _Too, too close._i find my footing and run at her. "Paisley!" I yell when I see her bending over. _Too close, too close._ "Get away from him!" I shriek, knowing that I shouldn't have done it because now she's even more certain that there's someone there. Alec is trying to move, his hands flailing and scrambling against the dirt. I can't see his face, but I don't want to imagine how it looks.

I'm right behind her now, my knife way over my head. Blninded with terror and rage, I push it down with strength I didn't know I had and aimed straight for her neck – when suddenly, she moves. It happened so fast, it was such a blur of movement and sounds, and through a haze, I see it – the knife, _my knife, _pierced right through Alec's chest, just beneath his ribs.

I scream in horror. "ALEC! NO, NO, NO NO…_" _I keep repeating, too bewildered to say anything else. My legs have given out and I'm on the floor with him, slowly feeling my muscles numb. His face is nothing but shock.

I stabbed him.

He's going to die, because of _me_.

"Alec, I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry. I didn't see her move….it was too late…so fast…I don't want you to die." I manage to say, after spluttering all over my words. Pent up tears are falling now, crashing into his shirt and down my face in sorrowful trails. I can't stop staring at the knife, just sitting there, mocking me and my mistakes. It had all blown up in my face, my desperate urge to keep Alec alive, all so that he could stem my loneliness and fears.

He's clutching at his chest, his mouth wide open as he gasps for air. His eyes search for mine, and his hand reaches up for me. I take it, and place it against my wet cheek. "A-Annie."

"Yes, yes it's me. Alec, I'm so sorry. _Please_." I'm begging for his forgiveness over and over.

He shakes his head, shuts his eyes and swallows, his fingers curling around my face. "Isabelle, f-find her. T-tell her."

My heart could've fallen out of my chest at that precise moment and I wouldn't have noticed. The pain of his words, the situation, everything was hitting me like unforgiving shards of broken glass. I can't tell him she's dead. How am I supposed to shadow his last moments with a blow like that? "Okay." I tell him, squeezing his hand, "I'll tell her."

My other hand finds the gash in his stomach, and foolishly, I place it over the blood to stop it from flowing. All I feel is the crimson soul of the boy before me, slowly escaping through my fingers. I search his face, wondering how he's feeling – the last thoughts crossing his mind. His blue eyes are staring up at the sky, shining with tears and dread.

"Hey." I say, blinking away tears. "I had a great time the other night, on our date."I don't know why I say it, but a part of me believes it'll take his mind off things, perhaps even make him happy – for a second. I bite my lip to stifle my sobs, "in the cave."He tries to laugh, but instead coughs and for a moment I'm scared he'll choke. "Thank you – for everything." I continue, "No one will ever forget you, Alec."

And just as if those were the words that meant to set him free of his body, the life went out of his eyes and I could no longer feel his hand squeezing mine. Even in death, his eyes were beautiful – like the pale blue of an ocean after a tumultuous storm. He was no longer in pain now, and I could still remember the boy I had met on the first day of training, with his overly-confident gait and pretentious smirk. On that day, I never imagined I would cry over this boy's death – or that I would be the one to kill him.

For a minute, I was envious. Envious that Alec no longer had to deal with the Hunger Games or the cruel world we lived in. But those feelings were soon consumed by a crushing blackness that made my whole body feel like it would snap in two. Now I'm mourning something else: the death of a light inside of me, the murder of the starry-eyed child I used to be and can never be again because I know that for the rest of my life, this moment is going to eat away at the edges of my consciousness, until it consumes me whole.

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**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews. So excited, I have no words :D **


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22** - Finnick

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"_Shit_." Is all I can think to say the moment I see the knife plunge through Alec's chest in the recap that just played on the television. I've never been graceful with handling situations like this, but my sympathies were there. I couldn't care less for this Alec person. I had never met him, and much less had ever had an interest to do so. In the eyes of a person that has been in the maelstrom of these Games for five years, he was just another casualty. My worries were placed into Annie. She would never forgive herself for killing him, even if it was by mistake.

Then again, his parents wouldn't see that as a mistake. It was a cold-blooded murder, regardless of whether the intentions were there or not.

_And there is the cannon solidifying Alec Collins' death, the male tribute from district seven._

The commentators were coming alive with the news of another murder so close to another, and in the form of a brother and sister, no less.

_Would you consider it fate, Pace? Having both Alec _and_ Isabelle Collins eliminated within hours from one another._

Eliminated. That was the word the Commentators used in place of death. They had figured out, early on, that the Capitol people didn't respond well to a word with such negative connotations. I was gripped with anger.

_I think it was, Milla. But, you know what shocks me the most? That Annie Cresta was the one to do it! They seemed very friendly, were they not? Even affectionate._

_She must've been using him. _Said Pace, the male announcer. _After all, she was rather forthcoming in her interview. The first three days in the arena might've just been a cover-up for the real Annie that's been hiding underneath all this time._

The woman nodded in sheer enthusiasm. _Such a shame, too. The people from the Districts are so untamed, so barbaric. She's a very pretty girl, for someone from the Districts._

I clenched my fist around the glass I was holding. These people and their distorted sense of reality disgusted me. Every time I sat down and watched the actual show, not the one they aired at the Viewing Room, I felt all of my insides juggling and whipping around in heated flashes of rage. No one here could ever come close to what Annie is, not in looks or personality.

A little bell over the door rings and someone else joins the crowds gathered at the television set.

"Figured you'd be here."

I look up at Johanna through my eyelashes. My fingers are still clenching at the glass and my knuckles are white. As soon as she notices, she puts her fingers over mines and takes the cup from me. I groan in defeat.

"Don't you have something else to be doing?" he snapped at her, sounding harsher than he'd intended.

Johanna is very hot-tempered and anything sets her off, but she was remarkably calm when she answered. "My tributes are both dead, remember." She crossed her arms over each other on the table."One of them was suicide, the other by one of your tributes."

"Annie didn't mean to kill him."

"Finnick, why are you making excuses? It's not like it mattered anyways. They were going to die. You know the chances of them coming back are always very slim."

I tried to pretend like she was right, and that it didn't matter. If I could adopt the same insouciance as last year, I would be able to get through this and maybe my head wouldn't be so jumbled up.

"If anyones going to win, I'd prefer it to be one of your tributes." She finally told me after a long stretch of silence. "You're the only person I actually like from the other Victors." She said with an edge to her voice, "but don't get your head big over it. I know your ego's pretty big already."

I laughed a little, and squared my shoulders. Finnick Odair had a presence to uphold in this bar and if anyone were to see me like this, they'd dismiss Annie and Lucas from the competition in a single pulse. "Ok, let's see…" I said, beginning to brainstorm.

"Well, you can start by getting her another weapon." Her brown eyes are flashing with images from the screen. "She left her knife in Alec's body."

"Wait." I suddenly realize, "What happened to the girl from twelve? Why didn't she kill Annie?"

Johanna considers this, looking at me. "She ran off right after Annie started yelling."

I put a hand to my head, remembering the shock in Annie's face and words. It was nothing I had ever seen before. She was so vulnerable, so wretched at what she had just done. Everyone in the Viewing Room had fallen into an eerie silence. Nothing like that had ever happened in the five years of my job as a mentor.

"Another update." She said curtly, "Lucas is doing pretty well for himself. He's managed to get some water and food. Killed some sort of animal."

I was glad Lucas was okay, but my heart wasn't in it. I needed to do something to get my mind off of Annie.

"The anthem's starting." She tapped my hand and pointed up. Begrudgingly, I looked. During the anthem, each tribute was shown with their reactions to each death. Throughout the Games, the Careers had remained impassive about them all. Not one of them cared about the other tributes. There were some that welled up in tears and others that nodded their heads in respect. This time, it was just the Careers, with their bored expressions and eye-rolling. Birch and Nixie were sitting high on the Cornocupia, enjoying the fireworks. Avani and Atticus were on opposite sides of their food supply, keeping watch while the tributes from one did the same. The sky filled with the faces of the fallen tributes. Isabelle was the first, looking dangerous in her picture. She had given up her own life so that she would never have to face her brother. I wasn't sure if I admired her or pitied her. Alec was next and the camera immediately landed on Annie, despondently sitting on a patch of dried grass somewhere in the middle of the same forest the Careers were in. the life was gone from her eyes, there was no light there. It was like looking into two solid marbles of green with no depth.

The last tribute to be killed was the girl from eleven, the one that the girl from twelve had killed minutes before finding Annie and Alec. Now the only people standing in the way of the Careers were Annie, Lucas, and Paisley. It wouldn't be long before the Gamemakers found some ingenious way of corralling them all together, not when they were so close to finding themselves a Victor.

I ignored my plight and went head-on to the women that were in the area, asking them for money or weapons that I could send to Annie. I was rejected each time. I was beginning to lose hope.

By the bar, dancing alone, I saw another woman I had dealt with in the past. Her name was Rosa and she had slippery hands. I kissed her last year, but only because she promised to pass a sturdy spear to my tribute. She came through. That's what I needed right now.

"Rosa." I slither over to her, drink in hand.

"Finnick!" she squeals, ignoring the inquisitive looks from her husband on the other side. "It's been too long." She manages to say, leaning into me. "Dance with me."

I take her hands and give her a spin, indulging her. "I remember how generous you were last year with your donations." I told her, standing close to her. "I was hoping you'd like to help again this year."

Rosa whipped her pink hair about her, nipping me in the face. "You're delicious."

I can almost feel the process of my lunch's regurgitation when she grabs me by the waist with long, slim fingers and sharp nails. "I helped you last year." I didn't like where this was heading. "So what do you say, I'll give you what you need this year." Her face was revolting up close. "If you help me a little bit."

Every cell inside of me is screaming in protest. I examine her face apprehensively. Her eyebrows are a darker shade of pink than her hair and without an arc, just flat 180 degree lines over her eyes. Her eyes are a subtle shade of brown, those seem real, but her cheekbones are too high and prominent. Everything about her is unnatural. There was no way that I wanted this woman to touch me. I was so close to prying out of the cage she had enclosed me in, when I see Annie's face on the screen again – desolate and worn. I needed her back here with me, no matter what it took. It would all be worth it.

"Anything."

The woman practically cries in elation. She takes my hand in his, clasping her bony fingers around mine and it all just feels so wrong. I let her lead me away through a back entrance and into a car parked out in the back.

"We can go back to my house. My husband isn't coming back tonight."

In the short car ride, I tried to get myself together. I needed to do this, and I couldn't get all panicky either. I've done this before. It'll be no big deal. My eyes drift to the woman.

Not with something that looks like that.

The car stops. I can count the minutes left with one hand. She smiles mischievously at me as she takes the keys out of the ignition and bounds out of the car towards the door of a tall, two-story house. Her house wasn't more extravagant than anything else I'd seen. She wasn't upper class. It takes every nerve in my arm to get it working and open the passenger door. One leg goes out the door, then the other. I look at the woman again. She's lolling against the door frame. Her long hair is falling in waves to her tiny waist. A positive was that most of these women kept themselves in shape, what with nothing else to occupy themselves with during the day. She was short, well-endowed, and toned. It was obvious through her clothes, and now I would be able to confirm it without…her clothes.

I'm at the door with her and swallow, hard. The faster I get this over with, the quicker I can get out of here. I anchor my hands on her waist and pull her into the house. She's riveted, helping me up the stairs in a rush and opening the first door to the left. The room is dark, and she doesn't bother turn on the lights. Her hands grab onto my t-shirt like claws, tugging at the edges and pulling it over my head. Her eyes are glittering with wonder as she throws it aside and begins to rub her hands over my chest, down to my stomach, exploring every part of me.

Her arms stay on my stomach for a moment longer and I take the chance to unzip the back of her dress and tug it off of her. It falls to her feet in a pile of orange stripes and white trimmings. Her white teeth are shining through the darkness and I feel her arms around my neck, pulling me down onto the bed. This was it. I had to do this. It was all for Annie. And when her mouth crashed into mine, I just pictured Annie and how much better her kisses were.

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**A/N: Ok, so judging by reviews, it's safe to say there was a general consensus on Alec and Isabelle's death and it ended with lots of tears. I have **_never_ **gotten so emotional writing a chapter, and trust me, it was very hard to finish! Alec /3**

**Sadly, I wont be able to update until around Thursday next week so as a treat, I'll let you guys decide what you want to read next (:**  
**A. Annie chapter**  
**B. Finnick dealing with the aftermath of all of **_this _

**Now lovelies, get your vote on! x**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23** - Finnick & Annie

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_Finnick_

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I felt dirty and wrong and all kinds of venomous things. I had always told myself, ever since the very beginning when the idea was suggested by President Snow after my victory, that I would never sell myself. That was all I had left. The pleasure these women took in the sight of me. I was a mystery to them, unexplored and wanted. It was all but the last piece of dignity I had left to carry with me.

Last night, I left it behind.

The Capitol owned me now. No matter how hard I resisted, it was futile. They somehow found a way to get what they wanted. I tried to imagine doing this almost every night during the Games – like Johanna – but the thought reached my mind like poison seeping into my veins. I'd rather die than have this happen again. But then again, it wasn't my life I was trying to save.

I was out of her house by dawn, having untangled myself from her octopus-like arms. Rosa took full advantage of her husband being out of the house. After the first time, I was almost able to ignore her underneath me. If there was a bright side to this, I'd have to say that it grew rather monotonous after that.

On my walk back to the tower, I deliberated the idea of finding somewhere else to sleep, I was ashamed to see Mags. She would know what I had done and she had never approved of theses sort of motives to get what we needed. I shut my eyes and tried to find alternatives for my disappearance, but I didn't want to lie to her. She should know everything I'm doing, just like she's been telling me everything she's done. The elevator up to the fourth floor was too short – I hadn't even been able to string an opening sentence together when the doors open. As expected, Mags was in the kitchen holding a steel kettle. Her eyes found mine as I entered and I could already tell she knew.

"Hey Mags." I said cheerily, even flashing a smile for good measure.

Her wise face had seen too much over the years to not know what I had just done. She set the kettle down, leaving a white cup with the string of a tea bag empty. "I hope you managed to get something good out of her, Finnick."Her words were heavy with disappointment.

I walk and sit on a tall stool on the other side of the counter, opposite her. "No one wanted to sponsor us."

"You could've tried _other_ methods." She set her jaw determinedly, "You could've gone somewhere else – talked to different people."

"Mags, I tried but –"

"But what?" Mags had never been this angry before. Her gentle voice was firm and urgent and I could feel myself recoiling under her words.

"I was desperate."

Her thin, white eyebrows went up in surprise. "Neither of them were in immediate danger yesterday."

I let my head fall into my hands, still dirty from the feeling of Rosa's body. I tried not to think about it but the sheer force of the situation was bearing too much weight. "Annie… Annie needs help!"

Again, Mags is looking at me with a state of nothing but astonishment. Her eyes are moving from left to right and I could see denser wrinkles in between her brows. "Finnick." She looks unsure of what she's about to say next as her anger wilts away. "We believe that Annie might be suffering from some post-traumatic stress disorder. She's been having strange hallucinations and saying names…" she frowned, "she said your name."

"_My_ name?" I felt my heart go faster and slower all at the same time.

She settled her glance into a stern look – it was the way she always looked when she was about to say something I didn't want to hear. "I know you have feelings for Annie Cresta." Her voice suddenly grew soft, "It's inappropriate, Finnick. Do you have any idea how many sponsors we would lose if anyone found out?"

"I don't want anyone to find out." I parried, "I just want her to come back _home_."

She poured the boiled water into the cup, waited a few seconds, and then pushed it to me. "This will help you relax."

I looked at it, the clear water was turning into a murky shade of brown. I wasn't in the mood to drink anything. All I wanted was to have Annie in front of me, safe and alive in my arms.

"Send her a note. Nothing obvious. Just enough to get her going and remind her why she needs to win." Mags commands.

"A note…" I echoed, seized with thrill.

Mags is reaching over for something now and placed a white, blank paper in front of me, next to the tea. Her face is alight with secret, calculated planning.

"What's the good in sending her more knives and weapons if she won't find the motivation to use them." She tells me, her brown eyes dark with wisdom that only comes from many years of living. "To her, you're a weapon far more powerful."

I could feel the goosebumps on my skin. The way Mags spoke, it made me feel confident that this would be just what Annie needed. After reading this, she'll go find food and realize that it _is_ worth the pain and struggle.

Eventually, Mags and I join the rest of the Victors in the Viewing Room and I deliver my note.

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_Annie_

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_You Promised. –F_

That was what I needed. I had been so deeply affected by Alec's death that I had forgotten to feed myself. After a few hours of imagining every sound of the night would be someone out to kill me, I got off the tree I had settled on to stay out of sight and began to travel as the faintest hints of pinks and oranges peeked through leaves and into the dark forest.

It helped, staying far away from reality. It was easier to imagine that Alec was still lost in the forest. Once I got the note, it seemed harder to think that way. It reminded me that no matter how many times I may see Finnick here, it's not really him. The real Finnick is out, back in the Capitol, sending me letters and finding sponsors.

I wanted to see my mom and dad again. I didn't want them to miss me if I died. I know Avan will take it hard, the news of my death. I don't want them to suffer like I have in these Games. After going back and forth with myself, I pushed myself to try again. I would at least give this another shot before I gave up again.

Eventually, I found a bush with red and blue berries. The fruit felt refreshing against my lips, the cold welcomingly entering my throat and into my stomach. I had forgotten how long it had been since I had eaten something so good. As soon as I was finished, I picked four more and put them in the bag I had fashioned out of rope. This would be enough for the rest of the day, maybe tomorrow morning if I could restrain my hunger.

The anxiety of someone watching me, on the precipice of shooting a spear through me, grew stronger with every step I took. The other tributes could be anywhere. I made sure to be light on my feet, ducking behind trees and rocks that were large enough to conceal me. That would buy me time, maybe even confuse them a little. The constant motion must not be good for tired, hungry tributes.

The sun beat down against the earth, and I was grateful for the dense forestry I found myself in. I could still feel the heat, but there was sufficient shade too. I was walking when I heard the sound of rustling bushes and snapping twigs from my left. I stopped, looking for the source and feeling like there was a rock jammed down my throat, and then sprinted off in a run. The fruits slammed against my thigh each time I lunged a leg forward, but I couldn't even feel it.

It was closer, and no longer seeking to remain hidden. I dug into the waistband of my pants, desperately looking for something, anything to use against this person. Then I remembered my knife, and how I hadn't taken it out of Alec's body. In a trice, my heart plummets into my stomach and I turn around, wishing so hard that it isn't anyone like Birch or Atticus. I'm beside myself in a wash of mixed emotions.

The pale bronze of his hair, his burly build – Lucas.

Without thinking, my feet set off towards him. He could quite possibly kill me, but I was so worried that he had died, I needed to see that he was real. My breath was coming out in gasps and as I came closer, I could see that he was smiling. The tears that ensued were against my will, but there was nothing that could stop them. His arms came around me and mines around his as he lifted me up in the air for a brief moment.

"Annie." He said, the brilliant blue of his eyes looking at me with urgency.

"You're okay." I said in an exhale of breath. "Oh my god, you're okay." His face was covered in dirt and blood, the only thing assuring her that it was him was the brilliant blue of his eyes.

"I killed him. I killed Birch."

"How many of us are left?" I asked in dread, knowing very well that Alec was most likely in his answer.

"Both from one, Nixie, Alec, Isabelle, the girl from eight, and the girl from twelve."

Rage rolls off me, "Paisley killed Alec."

Lucas lifts his eyebrows in surprise. "I thought she was blind?" He shrugs, pressing on to more calculations, "Nineteen are dead." He nodded.

"Someone else died the night before last. She had built a fire and then I heard her scream."

Lucas was no longer smiling, "I didn't see the anthem last night." He looks nearly sad as any trace of happiness wilts away like a dying rose. "But I haven't seen Isabelle for two days."

The weight in my chest made it difficult to say what I knew had to be said next. "Lucas." I began gently, preparing him for the news that would surely destroy something inside of him, just like Alec's death had destroyed something in me. "It was Isabelle. She died a few hours before Alec did." I decide to keep my theory of her suicide a secret. She did it to heighten her brother's chances of winning, and although it was in vain, it was the bravest thing I had ever witnessed. Suddenly, and without warning, an image of her playfully teasing Alec back at the gymnasium crept into my thoughts. I had to bite down on my tongue hard to stop the tears. Crying wasn't gong to help anyone. If there was something that _would_ help was me getting back into the swing of things. Last night had been my breaking point. I couldn't allow the audience to see another moment of weakness. But now with Lucas back, how could I do otherwise?

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**A/N: Thank you for your reviews! :D Alas, Thursday came and went and I didn't update - I'm sorry everyone! I just couldn't find the time to write this chapter, but now it's here and up and I hope you all like it! Even though it is quite sad, but I don't think anything from here on in is going to be much to cheer about (except for maybe Finnick and Annie's reunion).**

p.s. I know this is not HG-related at all, but did anyone see Harry Potter this weekend? AHHHH, so good...but equally sad! 


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24** - Annie

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Lucas hadn't yet looked at me. Somewhere in between the long stretch of the news of Isabelle's death and now, he had turned his head and taken sudden interest in the earth. His fingers clawed deep into the dirt, leaving his hands full of brown residue. I thought for a moment of giving him a sympathetic pat, but I knew he just needed time.

What was all of this going on anyways? Why were we consoling each other on the deaths of other tributes when we clearly understood the rules of the Games. Only one is going to live. Obviously, we knew we wouldn't be able to take any friendships back home with us.

"Oh well." He said eventually, "It's better this way."

"_Better_?" I say, half laughing and half hysterical. "Better because you won't have to kill her yourself?"

He flashed with hurt shock and then clenched his hands into fists, as if he were battling with the pain. "Yes."

There was another length of silence. "I killed Alec."

Lucas turned to me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"It was an accident." I said quickly, before he or anyone else could think that Annie Cresta was a murderer. "The girl from twelve was going to stab him, and I…I…" My eyes were wet with unshed tears. _No. I can't cry._ "I went to kill her – I had to! If not she would've killed him and then she moved so fast…"

Lucas's face was sullen with understanding. He searched my face, making me feel like some kind of creature to have killed my own friend. "You did what you could, Annie."

His words should've been reassuring, but instead, another ache of guilt nudged me. "It's like you said, isn't it?" my voice fell to a whisper. "It's better this way."

He threw a rock he had been cradling in his hands off into the trees, watching after it until the noise of it crashing against a bush or entanglement of leaves resounded. I watched as his face went from sadness to anger to repulsion and finally landed on dread. He stood up, narrowing his eyes as if he were looking for something.

"We can't." he said.

I stayed on the floor, curiously watching him. "We can't…what?"

His gaze fell to me. It held nothing else but steely resolve and then I knew it. I knew what he was talking about.

"We need to separate." I said finally, but feeling the urge to contradict him.

He exhaled and laughed in contempt. "What do _they_ expect me to do?" he said, up to the skies. "I won't kill you. I can't."

"I think we've both known that from the very start." I said. "I'm not killing you either."

"I did though. I did kill people." He fell back on the ground, idly playing with whatever he found on the floor. "Isn't that enough for them?"

We were both feeling it. I could tell. The feeling that we were both birds trapped in a cage, miserably flapping our wings at the bars but never finding a way out. We had the key though; it was presented to us in the beginning. Once we killed everyone else off, we would be released from the cage and we could resume life back to normal. But it would never be normal would it? The Victor would never be the same after all the things we've seen here.

I began to drift off again, to thoughts of the beach and the sound of seagulls squawking against the wind. It was so peaceful, so serene. I had thought I'd forgotten what peace felt like. My mother had the back door open and she was intently watching me, like always. Her maternal instincts were always higher than most other moms.

'_Annie_.' She said with a smile and a shake of the head. Her voice was like a distant bell, fighting through greater, more overbearing sounds. I felt a tickle in my arm, someone had touched it, and I looked up into pools of green speckles, glittering in the sunlight. A strand of long, dirty blonde hair fell into his forehead and I went to touch it.

Finnick stared at me, bemused. The noise of waves splashing against the sand filled my ears, but nothing was grand enough to distract me from what was in front of me. A surge of tingles erupted from somewhere inside the recesses of my stomach as Finnick raised his hands to my chin. He was serious, his lips in a deep frown and lines ruining the smoothness of his forehead. His lips parted and I drifted closer, wanting to kiss him, but he stopped me. I felt blissful and happy but he looked almost pained.

'You promised.' He said, his voice tickling my ears. '_You promised_.'

'_Finnick…'_

"What?" Lucas suddenly turned around, his voice cutting through the image of Finnick's face just inches away from mine. My stomach lurched in embarrassment. "I was just…thinking."

Lucas narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He was obviously still wound up from earlier.

"How about we find something to eat?" he suggested.

The moment he mentioned it, my body began to plead for nourishment. I nodded and stood up slowly, "The river is only a few feet away." I said, "But I don't have a spear or knife, nothing."

"I do." He said, brighter than before.

Once we reached the river, the sight of fish was scarce. The sun was shining high in the sky, too bright for the fish to want to come into the open. We sat by the bank, legs up to our knees, patiently scanning the rushing water. We basked in silence and the sun, which I was sure by now had damaged my skin. Not once did we bother to check for other tributes. I had long lost the desire to be alert and paranoid at all times of the day. Now, I had Lucas and there were two of us. I felt safer thinking that way.

Now, more than ever, I wanted to win. The sweetness of having Finnick again, back at home with my family was all too much to give up on again. I felt for his note, scribbled hastily in his writing, still in my pocket. My eyes surreptitiously drifted to Lucas. I didn't want him to die. I wished we could both go home together. Just the idea of seeing him pale, on the ground, and lifeless made me sick. How could Lucas, someone so young and full of life with such a long, bright future ahead, just be stripped of everything?

"There's one!" Lucas exclaimed, reaching for the spear on the floor next to him and leaping to his feet.

I smiled, in spite of myself. "Finally."

He tiptoed closer to the edge, his body taut with anticipation as the fish swam closer and then he stabbed the flowing waves of blue.

"Did you get it?" I asked anxiously, getting on my knees.

In response, I heard a gruff cough. Lucas turned to me, his eyes wide in alarm. "Was that –"

"I thought it was you." I say, trying to push down the panic rising in my throat.

His eyes slowly lift to the space behind me. "Get up." He demands hastily, "Get up, Annie!"

I do as he says, spinning on my heel and finding it hard to digest the scene before me. Dagan was standing a few feet away, his large shoulders hunched and tense. He was the largest of the entire group and immediately, I began to lose hope for my survival.

Then, he began running towards us.

I was patting around my stomach for a knife or any other weapon when I remembered I had never found another one. My heart began to race and I heard Lucas move away. He was still coming, fast, and then my eyes landed on something shining beneath the pools of mud. I set off towards it, quickly grabbing it and noticing that it was an arrow. Someone had a bow and arrows. The very idea of someone watching on from the trees, silently clutching on to the reason for their mystery made me remarkably envious. Firm in hand, I ran towards him with the arrow, adrenaline pumping in my veins like gravity pulling you into the descent of a hill, and threw myself on the ground before he had a chance to grab me, stabbing his thigh. He yelped in pain, clutching on to the area that was now bleeding. I rolled away as far as I could, feeling the mud seeping through my clothes. I wanted to run, so desperately, but I couldn't. I wasn't going to leave Lucas. One of us had to kill him. I was just about to take the chance to look for a heavy, pointed rock when Lucas came rushing through. He saw me on the ground, his face bracing with panic. There must've been blood smeared all over me, and I was just about to tell him to forget about me, but my voice constricted in terror.

Dagan had seemed to recover enough to run again, right towards Lucas, and he had axe in his hand that wasn't there before. Once I found my voice, I called out his name, so loud I could still hear it ringing in my ears afterward. He screwed up his face, and then must've finally noticed Dagan rushing towards him, but it was too late.

The sound of the axe coming in contact with flesh sliced through the forest, louder than anything I had ever heard in my life. Lucas was on the ground, blood pooling around him like rushing water fighting out of a dam. His neck was sliced in half, but he wasn't fully decapitated. I felt like all the air had been punched out of me. It was hard to see anything through the haze clouding my eyes, but I saw enough to know that Dagan lifted his axe once more, and chopped his head off entirely.

_Lucas. My Lucas._

My insides were convulsing in all sorts of ways and I felt sick to my stomach. A mix of repulsion and overwhelming realization of what had just happened prickled at my skin. I hadn't even realized I had been screaming until I heard the echo of my desperate pleads bounce off every which way around me. His name, I kept saying his name. Everything that happened after, felt like I was back at home, surveying myself on the television screen. I watched myself stand up, my knife in my hand, and hurl my body onto Dagan's - the blow knocking him off balance. All I could see was a monster. A worthless, vile creature that rightfully deserved death. Nothing else mattered, not even the nearness of Lucas's lifeless body. He pulled his axe up, ready to perform the same decapitation on me, when I kicked him in the groin, distracting him enough to pull my bow out of his leg, raise it as high as I could reach, and plunge it straight into his chest and into the depths of his black heart. He fell on his knees - thrown off balance - looking straight up into my face with dark, angry eyes. His axe came down to his side, falling on the earth beside him and I picked it up. I raised it over my head, blood pounding in my ears. My arms were terse with the desire to finish him – to get my revenge for him taking Lucas away. His eyes were still fixed on me, going in and out of focus, and when he saw the axe his expression changed. He looked human. He _was_ human.

I plunged the axe into his chest, next to the arrow.

I jumped back and yelped in horror, the significance of what I had done dawning upon me. His body fell back, bending unnaturally against his knees and crashed against the muddy terrain.

I was a murderer.

I singlehandedly killed a boy with my bare hands.

I _wanted_ to kill him.

I put a trembling hand over my mouth, the acrid taste and smell of blood along with it. I whirled around, looking down at blood. There was _too_ much. I felt a dizzying impulse to just lay on the ground and let myself drown in it. And then I saw Lucas's body, and the tears were falling from my eyes without restraint. I kneeled down beside him, not even wondering whether the sound of my choking gasps for air would give me away to the remaining survivors. I didn't care.

Two cannons sound.

Birch had robbed me the opportunity to imagine Lucas in a peaceful slumber. Instead, the pain and brutality of his death was staring at me straight in the face. There was still so much blood, falling out of the area where his neck had lost connection with his head, rushing like a waterfall. I tried to blink away the tears to catch one last glimpse of him, of Lucas. But they were too fast and uncontrollable. I wiped it away with my hands, stinging my eyes with blood. Then I threw my body over his stomach, not looking at him, but down at the pools of scarlet tainting the ground, letting myself be drained of the little water that remained in my body.

Lucas was dead. Lucas was gone.

Lucas.

Lucas.

_Lucas._

So much death. Why so much death? Too much death. Everyone's dead.

It was all I could think of. I had seen so much death. Too much blood. I couldn't find the strength to move or even breathe. The stiffness of his body underneath mine made me shudder uncontrollably. Isabelle was probably hoping he'd win, and he didn't and she wouldn't never know that he didn't. My brain felt like it would explode. I kept thinking about how the deceased would never have a chance to know about anything else, ever again. Lucas would never see his parents grow old and his sister become a woman. Isabelle and Alec's parents will never see them marry or have children.

And then I thought of me and what I would leave behind if I died. I would want someone to honor it. With all the courage I could muster, I slowly looked to his chest, then the blood still pooling from his neck, and at his head – just a few inches away. I don't know what it was. The sight repulsed me, every inch of my body was begging for a way to release the nausea, but it was Lucas and I couldn't let anybody see him this way. So I reached up for his head, cringing and retching, and closed the space dividing it from the neck.

There was no denying of what had happened. There was still blood. But then I tore right through the material of my shirt and wrapped a strip of fabric in the area of dismemberment. His ashen face was drained of life, his blue eyes still open, still looking out into the world that he was no longer a part of. With a gentle movement of my hands, I shut his eyelids, one by one. His face now stained with my tears. I willed myself to step away from him, knowing that the hovercraft was probably already waiting for me to leave, picked up Dagan's axe – the weight of it pulling down on my arm – and fell back into the camouflage of the woods, never finding the strength to look back.

* * *

**A/N: I know how you must all feel. I loved Lucas too and writing this took FOREVER. I didn't think I would be able to finally kill him.  
And thanks so much for all of your reviews! They mean so much to me (: **


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25** - Finnick

* * *

Everyone in the Viewing Room sucked in a collective breath, and it seems like no one was able to exhale again.

"That's..." Johanna paused, unable to keep her eyes off the middle screen, the one that all of Panem was seeing. "I've never seen anything like it."

I heard her speaking, but my heart was thumping so loud that it was like listening to a distant chime. I didn't know what had deterred me into the state I'm currently in: Lucas being brutally decapitated or Annie brutally murdering Dagan. The fiery desire to kill shining in her eyes was like looking into the sun and wanting to shield your eyes away, but you couldn't because you were determined to see what was behind the brightness.

"Annie isn't as helpless as we made her out to be." Johanna was still talking, "Dagan…he was…" she shook her head in disbelief, "massive."

Mags turned around, a flash of white through my half-closed eyelids. "Annie and Lucas were very close. She was wrought with revenge, but look at her now," she said sadly, gesturing to the screen, "she hates herself for it."

It was quieter in the room than usual. Surely, no one had seen such a scene in years. The last time anything as brutal as this had happened was the boy that had eaten the tributes he killed. Luckily, that's never happened again. I dared to look back up at the screen, my chest feeling heavy as I watched Annie running blindly through the forest with tears in her eyes - bloodshot and haunted with images I couldn't see. Her arms were scratched up and her face had earned a few cuts, staining her face red. She never seemed to notice. She was so intent on running away from what had happened.

"Oh, Lucas." Said Mags exasperatedly, bringing her trembling fingers up to her lips.

"They're both good kids." I finally manage to say, hoping it would distract me. "He was." I cringe when my voice cracks.

Johanna glances at me. "So were mine, Finnick." She says, suddenly defensive. "They were siblings for fuckssake! Neither of them should've been reaped in the first place."

Enobaria casts Johanna an irritated glance before leaning back on her chair. What Johanna just said was, most likely, illegal. If not to that extent, it was entirely inappropriate – especially in a room being monitored by the Capitol every second of every day. But with the Capitol not being anywhere near the list of my priorities, my chest rises in agitation. We're all bad-tempered during the Games, and especially now with everything so close to being over. Chaf from eleven had overheard the GameMakers yesterday night mention that the Games had been dragging on for far too long. Today it would reach a full week that they had been thrown into the arena. It wouldn't be long before the GameMakers took matters into their own hands, and that's what we were all petrified of.

"I know." I said, jerking my hands away from my forehead. "Neither did we. Neither did any of us." I hissed back.

Mags went to put a hand on mine and I moved away, instantly regretting it.

"Don't look at me like that Mags." I pleaded.

"I'm worried about you." She bows her head. "You haven't been yourself."

"You haven't." supplied Johanna, still agitated.

I shut my eyes tight and took a deep breath. "You both know why. Don't act stupid."

I felt movement beside me and when I glanced over, Johanna was full on staring with dark, unreadable eyes.

"Or maybe I'm the stupid one." I added, half-laughing in derision.

"Finnick." All sarcasm and contempt was erased from her voice. I noticed her eyes flash back at Mags. "What if she doesn't make it? You have to prepare yourself for that. There's going to be interviews – you'll have to keep yourself together."

"She has to make it."

"But what if she doesn't?" Johanna parried impatiently, "What if she dies? Look at her!"

I do as she says and my eyes wander back to the screens underneath the label that reads' District Four'. The television that once showed Lucas was black and I felt a pang of remorse. The one beside it showed Annie, on the floor. I'm flooded with panic.

"What happened?" I ask loudly, hating myself for taking my eyes off of her.

Some of the other Victor's turn to look at me, wondering what was making Finnick Odair lose his temper. Beetee from three was standing up next to us – I hadn't noticed him before – intently watching the screen. He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. "She ran into a tree." He turned to me, not with a face of concern but as someone simply delivering information, "She didn't see it coming – the forest is pretty dense."

"Thank you, Beetee." Mags said with the shadow of a smile. "How are your tributes doing?"

"Well, your tribute killed Birch," he said coldly, "But Nixie's still struggling. She seems OK."

"Good luck." She finished, before glancing back at me despairingly.

I averted my eyes. "She'll lose hope." Johanna and Mags were the only ones listening. The rest of the victors were too concentrated on striking deals with sponsors or watchfully considering their tributes to notice me. I saw the mentor from twelve, Haymitch Abernathy, stumble over a chair and mutter something incoherently as a knife went through his girl tribute. I wondered how I would feel if that happened to Annie.

My world would shatter.

"She's not going to get up." I said, "Lucas is dead. She saw him get killed before her very eyes."

There was silence, an uncomfortable silence that seeped in through my pores and muddled my brain, suggesting that Mags and Johanna agreed with me. I was hoping for a contradiction.

Later that night, the flood happened. The entire room had leapt to their feet and were banging on the door of the GameMakers's headquarters. Enobaria from one was at the front, leading the protests.

"It's not fair!" she was screaming through the door, "They can't swim!"

There was no response from the GameMakers. The steel door was silent and impenetrable. She balled her hands into fists and punched the door, howling in pain afterward.

Sometime after she recovered consciousness, Annie managed to let herself up a tree and hadn't moved since. The sun departed and the night arrived and still, she remained in her tree. She never left for water or food. I had sent her a loaf of bread earlier, which she hadn't even been touched. But regardless of her height, the tree wasn't tall enough for the water. She clung onto a branch desperately as the rushing water pulled her savagely away. Some of the other tributes were fighting to reach the surface but Atticus had been the first to die, unable to keep himself afloat and drowning a miserable death.

Annie's strength faltered and she was off into the tumultuous water that had now completely overtaken the arena. Her thin, long arms began fighting it and my spirit elevated with hope. Annie could swim, just like I could – just like all of District 4 could! As the other Victors fell back to their seat, clutching to the armrests in dread, I was off my seat, surging with anticipation. I tried to keep the optimism at bay, but it was too overwhelming to ignore.

Annie's still afloat, still fighting the current as it tries to take her farther and farther away. I feel Mags's hand clamp around my arm and I smile down at her. The wonderment in her eyes gives me the approval I was looking for; Annie might actually make it out of this.

The room is in uproar, people are screaming and angrily shooting insults at the flood singlehandedly produced by the inhabitants in the room next to ours. Haymitch is singing a song I think I've heard once at a local bar last year and cradling a bottle of liquor as if it were the most precious token in his life. I'm thinking the citizens must be in uproar, fighting for their bets and hoping they don't lose their money because of this flood.

And then, after a half hour of destruction, the water begins to recede. Gradually, Annie's body that had just moments ago become a plaything is clinging on to the tops of a random tree. The water is dissipating so quickly, that within seconds, the only evidence that it had ever happened was the overabundance of mud it had left behind.

The camera zooms into Annie's bewildered face. She's panting, red-faced, and soaked. Her hair looks like inky tentacles on her face and shirt. Both of her sleeves are missing and her pants are torn at the knees. She pulls herself up on a branch and looks up at the sky when her ears perk up. Five cannons sound. All the careers are dead. And then Claudius Templesmith's voice is in our room as well as in the arena.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victor of the Seventieth Hunger Games, Annie Cresta! I give you - the tribute of District Four!"_

* * *

**A/N: Almost 200 reviews! Please? Can we get there? :D**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26 - **Finnick and Annie

* * *

**Annie**

* * *

He's dead.

She's dead.

Everyone's dead.

Am I?

Even as a flying robot comes and lifts me into the air after Claudius Templesmith's announcement, I'm still shaken with grief and terror. The water pulled me so hard, I was sure I would go under.

Drowning didn't seem so bad at the time.

It wasn't as bloody as decapitation.

Something goes around my wrists, locking them into place and I feel trapped. I'm swelled with panic and begin shaking – fighting – to be released. Where are they taking me?

"_LET ME GO!_"

A figure hovers over me, dressed in black and I feel hands restrain me.

"She's the crazy one." I hear a male voice say. "You'll have to sedate her. Who knows what she's capable of…"

"_No!"_ I plead, my eyes still unable to make out the figures, "You can't….i'm not…." I'm rendered speechless by the feeling of a needle in my forearm, and then the world goes black.

I stir awake to the sound of a door shutting.

Where am I?

I try to lift my head but am instantly plagued with nausea. My arms feel heavy and sore, but when I look at them, I see that they're clean. I blink – making sure I'm not hallucinating again – and my sight is satisfactorily confirmed. I'm suddenly proud with myself. Finally, I see things that are really there. Maybe hallucinating was just something I had picked up in the arena. It always had ways of messing up your brain.

I inspect the rest of my body, or as far as I can see by gently craning my neck up off the pillow. My body looks the same way it did after the first day of being in the Capitol; it was perfect. For the first time, I realize what's happened: I won.

I was the victor of the seventieth Hunger Games!

I'm back and soon I'll be reunited with my family and friends back in District Four, erasing this all from my mind. I'll have Finnick to help. I look down at my arms and legs again, both clamped in metal. But then why am I trapped? Why hasn't anybody come to see me yet? Why isn't Finnick here?

I cringe with a pulse-pounding, aching desire to see Finnick again. Where is he? He would make them release me.

Within the hour, after having found nothing else to do but stare at the ceiling in an effort to push down the claustrophobia, a woman in white comes into the room.

"Annie? How are you feeling?" she says in a feeble voice.

She seems scared. I don't know why she should be scared of me. it would make more sense if I were scared of them.

"I want to see my family." I demand with shortening patience, "I want to be released from this." I motion towards the metal.

"I'm afraid you can't see your family yet." She said, plastering on a forced smile. "But I will release you, if you promise to settle down. Can you do that for me, Annie?"

She's looking at me like if I'm a crazed wild animal who can, at any moment, snap her body in two. I wasn't. I'm just a girl. "Yes."

The woman turns around and lets in another figure in white, this one seemingly male.

"Okay." Her voice is cautious as she rears my bed, "I'm going to start over here. Is that okay?"

I nod, deciding not to tell her about the pounding headache in fear that it would delay my release. I listen to the tapping on a keyboard and then my left arm snaps loose. I pull it up to my face to make sure there's nothing else restraining it. Now my right arm is free.

My arms look better than they did before I was enlisted to the Games. the Capitol had a way of making it all look glamorous, as if winning the Games were the highest honor you could bestow upon your District and partly, it was true. Now, I would be back home welcomed a hero with food for everyone. Not to mention, my new house in the Victors Village. A thought hit me and I felt my insides bubble excitedly. Finnick lives in the Victors Village.

"Can I see my mentors?"

"Afraid not." Her voice was slow. "Soon enough, though."

Then they were both out the door, slamming it shut and leaving me back in the seclusion of the room that was too white and the red that kept splattering my vision.

More blood.

* * *

**Finnick**

* * *

It's been eleven hours since Annie was brought back to the Capitol and incarcerated to her hospital room, which in fact wasn't a hospital room at all. It was an observation cell in the heart of the Capitol, right under the supervision of President Snow and his misconstructed scientists and doctors. I didn't like it. How could I trust these people with Annie? Mags had been beside me up until a few minutes ago, dutifully supporting me as I took my first steps into the room. Upon my silence, she had left me to be alone.

I thought it would be easier to have Annie closer. That as soon as I'd seen her here, I could feel better in knowing I would nurse her to health. But It's the hardest thing I've ever had to watch – even harder than it was on television – because Annie has gone from a witty and naive teenager to a haunted young woman with death in her eyes and visions of things that aren't really there. I watch as she brings her head in between her arms and tucks it into her chest. Her shoulders shake and I feel nothing more than the overwhelming impulse to rush to her but there's this stupid glass wall and the Doctor carefully watching me from the corner of his steely eyes.

"Is she going to get better?" I ask, my voice cracking.

The doctor is like a rock in a lake of rippling water, unaffected by my grief and the terror in my voice. "Perhaps. If her mind can ever recover from the sights that have so dramatically traumatized her."

"Perhaps?" I snap, utterly bewildered. "_Perhaps? _Is that all you can tell me? After everything this girl has been through, this is all you can promise of her recovery?" my hand is pointed dangerously towards him as if I could at anytime use it as a trident.

The Doctor takes a step back, rolling his eyes in a way so inconspicuous he didn't think I'd notice. "Mr. Odair, I'm prescribing some medication. There's a chance for recovery but no one knows how long it can take: weeks, months, even years."

An icy hand plows into the recesses of my stomach."Years?"

"The Games have muddled her perception on real and imaginary." He nods, " has taken to sinking into memories or, I'd like to think, happier moments of her life while she was at the arena. It isn't uncommon for some tributes to do it, but she's taken it harder than the others. We believe her witnessing two deaths might have –"

"Might have?" I scowled. And this man called himself a doctor?

He continued. "Both of the male tributes had a relationship with her. Most always suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but after a few sessions with our resident Therapist, it goes away. Her symptoms, though," he frowned, "are most unusual. We've been watching her and she's still re-living her last moments with Lucas and Alec."

"And that means?"

"We've never seen anything like it before."

Never seen anything like it before, meaning that they didn't care to fix it. It was just one girl after all. What did it matter if one mad girl went off to live in District Four and never be heard from again? Even though the doctor didn't say it, I could see it written all over his typical Capitol face. "But you'll do what you can?"

He nods his head before turning his attention to another man with something like a notepad, but nicer, in his hands. I know I'm not supposed to see her. I know it might delay her recovery (they warned me before walking in here). But she looks so helpless. She needs to see her family. She needs to see me, or I need to see her – but if I go one more second without her, I might be the one losing my head. I saunter out of the room, undetected, go down the steps and reach for the doorknob of the room she's enclosed. My heart is going so fast and it's so loud in my ears but I hear the click of the lock opening anyways, and so does she. Her sea-green eyes are out of the confines of her arms and looking straight at me, alert and aware of my presence. Her lips quiver in hesitation.

"Annie, it's –"

"FInnick!" She calls out, jumping off the bed and running directly into my open arms. "Finnick." She says into my chest and I feel the rapid beat of her heart and the broken breathing in her chest. I bring my arms around her tighter, the impact of her absence hitting me harder than it ever had these past five days. She's still repeating my name and I feel something wet seeping through my shirt.

I pull her face up to look at me. "Shh." I tell her, smiling and brining a hand up to her face. "Don't cry."

"I made it." She was telling me, her face desperate and pleading, "I p-promised you."

"And you came through." I said, feeling tears prickling at my eyes, "You made it, Annie. Everything's okay now."

Her fingers clung onto my shirt, "No it's not." She said, examining my face. "It won't ever be okay after this, will it?"

I wanted to argue, I wanted to tell her she was wrong and that everything would be okay. The truth was, however, we were both damaged. We were both scarred. She saw a dear friend decapitated and she accidently killed the other. No matter the counseling, or therapy, Annie would forever have those memories with her – regardless of how much she tried to shove them away.

I pulled her into me, rubbing her back and kissing the top of her head. "I'm here for you now."

"Don't leave me." her voice was small and laced with fear. The idea of being separated from me would drive her mad.

"Never." I said, because this time, it was my turn to make the promise. "I'll never leave you."

My gaze is on her and I see her head turn away. She's whispering something.

"What?" I ask her, pulling apart a little, "Annie?"

Her face is twisted in anguish and she keeps pointing and repeating something I couldn't understand. Suddenly, her hands are on her ears and she's forcing out the sound of the world around her, as if there was something I couldn't hear deafening her.

I fall down in panic beside her, shaking her shoulders and trying to regain her attention. "Annie, look at me." I plead, _"Annie, please_."

And then the doors slammed open behind me, and there was a person pulling me at the waist and someone pulling her by the arms.

* * *

**annie**

* * *

"Annie, it's going to be okay." Finnick is screaming desperately, trying to escape from the hands of the security guards, "Annie, I'm not leaving – I'm right here! Do you hear me?"

A man dressed entirely in white is coming at me, in his hands there's another needle. How many times were they going to sedate me? He holds it up in front of me, pushing the tip so that a clear fluid squirts out of the needle.

"Now, just relax." He instructs, his face covered in a white mask.

The needle comes down steadily, right at my neck and an image flashes. Lucas is running towards me, looking at me with concerned eyes when an axe comes down on his neck, slicing it in half. Blood spills everywhere.

"_NO!" _ I scream frantically, throwing my hand up and knocking the needle out of the man's hand. "_SAVE HIM!" _I break into sobs, "s-save…s-save him!"

The man's angry and he barks orders to have another syringe prepared for him. He puts a hand over my mouth. "Annie, listen to me –"

"Don't touch her!" Finnick's voice cuts through, "Get your hands off her!" I see him punching one of the security officers and come a few steps closer before there are more men surrounding him, withholding him from helping me.

"Odair." Says the man with a pinch of irritation in his voice, "Can't you see she isn't right? She needs the sedative until we can figure out how to fix her."

Finnick's face goes red in fury. "She doesn't have to be fixed!" he cries out in frustration as one of the men holding him takes his hands and puts them behind his back. "She wouldn't have to be fixed if it wasn't for the _fucking_ Hunger Games! That's what's made her mad!"

The Doctor has the syringe again and before I have a chance to react, the needle is on my neck.

"You really shouldn't have said that, Odair."

And everything goes black.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry, I know this is kind of a hot mess of jumping POV's! And THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR OVER 200 REVIEWS! I have never had so many reviews in any other of my fic's so it means so much to me! I can't even explain how excited I am :D**

**As for this chapter, I know it's probably not the romantic reunion you were all expecting, but I figured that Annie would still be out of it after the Games so the next chapters are just going to be her dealing with it. And I was also thinking of fast-forwarding to Catching Fire or Mockingjay and writing a little bit on that. Anyone interested? x**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27** - Finnick & Annie

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**Finnick**

* * *

Mags told me I was lucky, lucky that they had let me off the hook for cursing the Hunger Games. she'd managed to convinced them that I was frustrated and angry and wasn't thinking straight. Knowing full well that I would be of no help to anyone locked up in a prison cell, I went along with it. Letting Mags guide me out of the messy situations I always found myself in. Another full day had passed and I still hadn't been allowed to see Annie yet.

"It can't be too long." Mags would tell me. "People are wondering where she is – she'll have to do the interviews soon."

And I knew that she was right. They would have to send her out there and pretend like their Victor hadn't consequently lost her mind because of everything she had been put through. They hadn't even provided transportation for her parents to come see her. Mags and I – we were all she had right now.

I wasn't allowed back in the Observation room where they watched Annie, it was maddening, but Mags had been there a few times and said that the tantrums weren't as bad now. She had really improved from the last time I saw her. I still couldn't shake the image of her, held down by unfamiliar Doctors, being sedated over and over with needles she had never seen and drugs she had never felt before.

Every now and then, another worker comes through the empty corridor. Empty, except for my figure looming by the door of Annie's room. Now, they look at me like I'm crazy, too. I don't mind it though. I'm sure word has spread around the building about how Finnick Odair was just as crazy as the tribute he had trained. Just for fun, I kept my gaze on a woman as she walked, flashing her eyes nervously in my direction at times and hustling for the door. If this were any other day, she would be staring in admiration at a different Finnick Odair; the dashing, handsome blonde and heartthrob of the Capitol.

"She's better." Said Mags as she shut the door behind her. "Much calmer."

"Good." I said carefully. I had apologized over and over to Mags for my outburst, but I feel like she still couldn't quite trust that I wouldn't do it again. I couldn't blame her though, I didn't trust myself.

"She'll be out in a few hours in time for the Ceremony, and then I'll be with her for the interview tomorrow –" she put a hand up to stop me at the motion of protest –"they won't let you in the room, but you'll have the train ride all the way back to District Four."

I considered this. She was right. I would have the train ride as we visited the Districts to talk to her. It didn't seem like enough, because I would have to go another day without seeing her before we were back on our way home – but I would have to suck it up.

That afternoon, Johanna took me out. She ordered a round of beers and stared me down. Her short cropped hair was, for the first time I noticed, even shorter than mine. But her face, although tough and at times intimidating, was a unique sort of beautiful. Her face was sharp, but her eyes were round and soft like her cheeks and her mouth was small and pink. After knowing her as long as I did, she wasn't as threatening as she came off.

"So I hear what happened yesterday in the hospital was pretty bad."

"yeah." I nodded, "I think I temporarily went insane."

She smiled, her lips shut tight. "I would understand why." The beer came and place in between us. Johanna thanked the man and took the first sip. "I'm glad she made it, though."

"So am I." I took a sip too, enjoying the bitter taste of the cold fizz as it travelled down my throat. "She's just been through a lot."

"Sometimes I wonder.."she paused, looking up at the roof as if she were on the verge of a breakthrough, "if we're the lucky ones." Her voice was bitter and dry. "Maybe the ones that die got the better end of the deal, huh? At least they don't have to deal with the perpetual scars, because we both know that as much as we can pretend to deny it, those nightmares still come at night." They both took another sip. "And living in Victor's village…it's like being constantly taunted and reminded of the Games…of everyone that died so that you could live in that big, comfy house with enough food to feed your entire District."

"It'll change." I said, feeling strangely optimistic and when Johanna looked at me, confused, I added. "Some tribute, much braver than any of us, is going to come around and change it all."

Johanna laughed in derision. "What makes you so sure?"

"Because someone has to." I finished, realizing it wasn't enough of an argument, but I didn't know how to explain my feeling. All I knew that was for the moment, although selfish, I was content. Annie was back and alive, neither of us would ever have to be put through something like that ever again. We could finally be happy, as lovers or friends, but we'd at least be in walking distance of each other.

At seven o'clock that evening, I'm ushered out of the apartment by Costas after having been spent a few hours with Helia getting prepared for the grand celebration tonight. They've put me in khaki trouser pants and a blue-gray button down shirt. My hair has been conditioned, blowdryed and gelled to achieve an insouciant tousle until I thought my scalp could no longer bear it. It was the first time since I had begun mentoring that one of my Tributes had been chosen as Victor. Usually, I'd be home by now, and dare I say it, happy that I didn't have to go through this. This meant another night of putting on a pretty smile for the women who swooned for me and in the crowd, would be the two women I slept with to make this moment possible.

I hadn't even planned on what I would say to Annie when I finally saw her again. I mulled over some possible explanations as I joined Mags on the Square, where a big stage had been set up with elaborate decorations and congratulatory flowers, chocolates…everything a girl would want.

We had two reserved seats right out front, close to the stage. My stomach turned with the anticipation of seeing Annie again, but at the same time, dreaded that I was going to be so out of reach, again. We were joined by a few other Victors who had stuck around. Johanna sat on the other side of me.

"I thought you were leaving?" I asked.

She tilted her head slightly, "I thought you might need the support."

And then I realized, that Johanna would always be an enigma. The raging, snarky Victor with short inky hair was sitting beside me, wanting to pull me through all this. I wondered when she would go back to being the awful Johanna everyone expected but was interrupted with the sound of Cesar Flickerman greeting the audience. The crowd let out an enthusiastic cry, clapping wildly as he tried to appease them.

"Ladies and Gentleman of Panem, I bring you – the Victor of the Seventieth Hunger Games, Annie Cresta!"

* * *

**Annie**

* * *

I took a few wobbly steps onto the stage and towards Cesar, trying not to trip with the five-inch heels Helia had put me in. Cesar helped me on the way to the chair, taking my hand, and hugging me warmly. I took a seat on the ornate chair in the center of the stage and it seemed impossibly daunting to me. Cesar continued to rile up the crowd, shooting jokes and earning a few laughs as a reward. I looked down at my dress, the material wrinkling at my thighs. Helia had dressed me in a knee-length sapphire dress. The material was soft against my skin and it was tight up until my waist, then it shot down in a free-flowing sea of jewels.

"So, how are you doing Annie?"

I look at him for a moment, as if he's spoken to me in a different language. "I'm okay, Cesar. How about you?"

He slaps his knee, laughing. "Oh, I'm fantastic!"

He says a few more words to the audience about how great I look, and despite the circumstances I must admit, Helia really has done wonders and then introduces Costas. He strides in with a brilliant smile and the same orange hair he sported at my District's reaping. He had his moment, letting the crowds shower him with attention until they gradually began to quiet, growing bored with him. A second later, Cesar introduced Finnick and Mags in the crowd and my eyes dart straight for them. How stupid was I for not having noticed them there before? All this time, Finnick was right in front of me, watching me with tentative eyes and as they meet, my chest swells. My eyebrows slowly rise – _are you looking at me?_

They're both smiling, standing as they wave at the crowd, but I see Finnick. He hasn't turned around like Mags has, he's still facing me, a smile on his lips. I hadn't seen him since that time in the hospital and it was unbearable. The only thing I was looking forward to after the Games were over was being with Finnick again, and they were denying me of even that.

Then, the show was ready to start. I gripped at the arm rests, my fingernails digging into the soft gray velvet. I hadn't had the time to mentally prepare myself for this. I wasn't ready to see the deaths of the other tributes. Their faces were still fresh and alive in my head, except for the two that mattered the most.

I gazed at him with what I imagined to be a nervous flush. He was already looking at me and the reassurance in the set of his eyes suddenly calmed me. Maybe I can get through this. Music began to play,an upbeat pounding that was meant to make your heart hammer in exhilaration, and Cesar announced the beginning of the film with what they considered to be highlights of the Games. First, they showed us ascending to the Cornucopia. Everyone sprinted, grabbing what they needed. It's there that I catch my first glimpse of Alec and what he was doing before I managed to grab him. He had killed one of the other Tributes and took her supplies. Something goes solid in my chest when I see Lucas and Isabelle run off a little before us. We must've been just minutes away from each other, yet I never found him. Not until…

My thought was cut off when the music grew louder and the Careers began to make a camp. I remembered Nixie at the Training Gym and compared her to the wild, aggressive Nixie that I saw on the screen. It turns out she had done the most killing. Then the cameras find Alec and I, our backs against a flat, angled rock staring up at the sky. Our shoulders are touching and it feels like it was just yesterday that I had him next to me. I swallow the lump in my throat and watch as the big screen over the stage zooms in on my face, now spotted with blotches of red. I _had_ to keep control of myself.

The next day plays as Isabelle and Lucas find refuge in a cave. The earthquake starts and I'm trying to convince Alec to climb up the tree, telling him I wasn't leaving him behind then it's Lucas and Isabelle clinging on to each other, not knowing what was happening outside of their cave. There's a touch of intense music as I fall into the crack and Alec is holding on to me. One of the other tributes was in the same predicament as mine, but he fell. He didn't have anyone to save him.

Isabelle seperates from Lucas while they're in combat with the boy from one, she makes the fire as I suspected, and waits as Nixie finds her and sticks a knife through her stomach, leaving a pool of blood and long, silky hair sprawled on the ground in it's wake. Even in death, Isabelle was beautiful. Every now and then I saw Paisley from twelve, turns out she had been hiding in the trees and been using a bow and arrow. She didn't always make the kill, except for one time when she killed a boy in the woods before she found Alec and me. I clutched at my chest, knowing what was going to happen next. I wanted to run off the stage. I wanted to throw up. I did neither. I watched as she carefully listened for Alec's breathing and crouched over him. I watched as she skillfully moved aside while I shrieked in anger and I fell back in my seat in a state of shock. I wanted to look at Finnick, find the reassurance I had seen before, but I couldn't move. The rest of the images droned on and all I could still think of was my face: the shock. I didn't know how anyone could think that it had all been a part of my master plan. I had to go and apologize to Alec's parents. I needed to, or I'd never find peace. They had to know that I _didn't_ want to kill him. But what would it matter to them? My words couldn't bring their son back - or rather, _both_ of their children back.

Eventually, I stared back up at the screen live streaming my face the film played. I was pale. I turned away, back at the other one and saw what had to be one of the last scenes. A sad, whimsical little melody was playing as I stood over Lucas's body. My hands covered in his blood after having re-assembled his head. I avoided looking at his fallen body on the ground, giving me time to notice that not once had I ever realized my appearance. I looked like a different person: worn and tired. And then I was on a tree branch, talking to myself. I leaned forward in my chair in surprise. I was crying and I was calling for Finnick, but he was never there. He was in my head. My hands reached up to grab my head now, as if to illustrate the scene. What had happened to me? I shut my eyes tight. What _is_ happening to me?

Claudius Templesmith makes his announcement and open my eyes to watch my stunned expression after the dam broke and flooded the entire arena and my body being transported out of the arena.

I feel as if all the air has been punched out of my lungs. I can't even breathe. Cesar is looking at me with weary eyes and comes to my aide, pulling me up by the hand and guiding me into a room in the back where my knees buckle, and I fall to the ground, clutching at the silky soft material around my chest, willing my heart to stop beating so rapidly.

* * *

**A/N: OVER 230 REVIEWS? This is too much! You guys are all so incredible! Please keep them coming - I love reading what you guys think (:  
Oh, and don't hate me but I wont be updating for at least another week because I'm going on vacation. But not to worry, I will be writing whenever I get a chance so I can update as soon as possible (:**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28 -** Annie

* * *

A Capitol attendant gives me a cup of water and Helia comes in to fix my makeup.

"Annie, you need to calm down." He's telling me as he stands close to face, putting color on my cheeks. "If not, I heard them talking and, well…" he lowered his voice further as a woman passed, "they might medicate you again."

I'm filled with panic. "No." I say desperately, "No Helia, _please, _don't let them."

He seizes my shoulders, "I won't. Just try to calm down."

"Will Finnick be there?" the words are tumbling out of the mouth before I can take them back and Helia half-smiles. "Yes."

I'm whisked away to the President's mansion for the Victory Banquet. As soon as I arrive through the doors, Costas is ahead of me showing me who I should say hi to and who is called what. I'm immediately pecked at like a single grain feeding hungry birds. Everywhere I turn, it's people I don't recognize. The strangeness of the Capitol citizens sends a shiver of fear up and down my spine everytime I'm touched by an unfamiliar hand. I force smiles and cheery hello's as faces blur into each other until I'm caught by the hand. I'm already mustering up another smile when I turn to see someone familiar, so familiar that it makes my heart ache.

He squeezes my hand and unable to resist the urge any further, throw my hands over his neck, reaching his height because of the extra inches of the high heels. Finnick's hands wind around my waist, pulling me closer to him and I take a few precious seconds to breathe in the scent of him: shampoo and musky aftershave.

"Annie." He says into my ear, "How are you? Are you okay?"

I rest my head on the crook of his shoulder, not caring who's watching or how inappropriate it might seem. "Now." I kiss his shoulder, "Now, I am."

His breath is hot on my neck and I feel every nerve in my body erupt in delight. When he pulls away, gently, I bite my lip to hide the threatening frown. His eyes darken as he studies me and I do the same. There's so much I want o say, yet I feel like my mouth has been sewed shut. All I can do is stare at him but then a woman accidently bumps into my side and murmurs an apology in her affected Capitol accent. She notices Finnick and her eyes light with desire. Her arm comes down on his and she pouts whiningly.

I can't hear her, but I catch some snippets of her voice raising against the rest of the noise.

"Free." "Tonight." "Last time."

My eyes rise to his in suspicion and I see that his face has reddened. He dabs sweat from his forehead with his palm. His response goes something like "No, can't", and then she saunters off with nothing so much as another look.

I'm burning with the impulse to ask him about her, but who am I kidding? I know that Finnick is the Capitol's heartthrob. Not even I could change that. He turns back to me, his mouth set in an apologetic smile and he finds my hand amidst the tangle of bodies and limbs. Despite the internal nagging that something has changed between us, I'm so happy to see him. I squeeze his hand and he smiles.

"Annie." It's Costa's voice beside me. "You must meet the Head Gamemaker, he wants to see you."

"Oh." I manage to say, glancing at Finnick with pleading eyes.

"Would he mind if I came along too?"

Costas thinks it over for a minute. "I don't see why not."

Then, he walks ahead, beckoning us to follow. Finnick walks behind me, so close – his chest crashes into my back whenever I change my pace by the slightest. The silk of my dress sticks to my legs as the room becomes more crowded with people and warmer. I feel the hairs in the back of my neck sticking to my skin.

"Here we are." Coastas declares, putting a hand around my shoulders and pushing me forward. "This is Seneca Crane."

The man in front of me was tall and not quite what I expected for a Gamemaker. He wasn't quite middle-aged, but slightly younger with dark hair and a clean, pointed face. I watched as he appraised me, as if I were someone to be bought or disposed of. Which to him, is exactly what I was.

"Happy to see you again Finnick." He finally says, his smile curdling.

Finnick's hand goes around my shoulder. "Same here."

The bitterness in the exchange didn't go unnoticed. Now, unfortunately, Seneca was looking at me again.

"And how are you feeling, Annie? Last I heard, you were having some – difficulties – adjusting."

He was fishing for more evidence of Annie Cresta's hysteria – perhaps to even see them himself in person. What a sight it would be to watch me go mad in front of all these people.

"I'm fine, thanks."

He put his finger and thumb between his chin. "Very surprising, you winning. You scored so very low –"

"Full of surprises, isn't she?" Finnick adds from behind me, his voice a bit on edge.

"We were expecting Nixie from three to be the Victor this year." His eyes glided across the room momentarily as he stretched his face into a cold little smile. "But as we all know, not even _we_ can predict everything."

I didn't know why he was telling me this or what he was hoping to provoke, so I remained quiet, waiting for him to continue.

"Tell me, Annie, what do _you_ think?"

"I'm sorry – think of what?"

He leaned in conspiratorially, "Do you think yourself mad?"

My body went rigid. "I –"

"It seems like it, doesn't it?" he urged, "But you did see a lot of things, too, didn't you? A fellow tribute beheaded before your very eyes….difficult, I'd imagine….killing a lover from District seven –"

"He wasn't a…..i didn't…."

"You did." He snapped, his jaw set. The bones around his jaw were more prominent now, sharper than what could be considered normal. He inhaled sharply through his nose. "it was your knife, was it not?"

"y-yes…but –"

"Seneca," Finnick put his arm over my shaking shoulders. "Tonight is a night to celebrate! Why dwell on such things, hm?"

I could see the slight twitch in Seneca Crane's lips, as if he were holding something back. Then he broke into a tight smile. "Of course, Finnick, you're right. Let's celebrate."

He took a flask of a fizzy drink from a silver tray a passing Avox had been carrying. "To you, Annie Cresta."

Still feeling sick, I forced a taut smile.

Not a moment later, Finnick had grabbed me by the elbow and was leading me away from Seneca Crane and Costas. Some ladies tried to stop and banter but he shrugged them off, seeming the most unpleasant I have ever seen him. An incomprehensible string of foul words trailed behind him, reaching my ears as just whispered murmurs. I wanted to erase what was happening, shut my eyes and visit another reality but I couldn't, not now.

"Finnick." I said when a series of stringed instruments began to play a soft, melodious tune. "_Finnick_!" I said again, louder this time.

The music grows and soon, most around me are forming pairs, dancing to the innocuous strumming of violins and cellos. They move around us with swift twirls and elongated arms. Suddenly, Finnick stops and turns around, causing me to crash into his chest. I pull away just as his hand goes to my chin.

"Dance with me."

There's something in his eyes, wilted anger mixed with another thing…

"Of course." I nod and he pulls me into him, our noses nearly touching. Spin after spin and soon we're in the middle of things, dancing with everyone else – inconspicuous to their eyes. Just another couple dancing.

"Are you?" he said suddenly, the abruptness startling me.

I let my head fall in silent shame, down to our feet that were slowly losing pace with the rest of the dancers. "Mad? I don't know." I felt his breath caught. "Maybe."

He lifted my chin, gazing directly into my face. "I don't think you are."

Unwillingly and much to my horror, I felt the prickle of tears in the corners of my eyes. "It's not my fault. I-I don't want to be crazy…I don't want to see things…"

Both of his hands were cupping my face now, his eyes so intense that I shuddered slightly under his gaze. We stopped dancing. Probably not the smartest idea because people would notice, and that's the last thing we wanted. My hands rested on his chest, rising and falling in correspondence with his breathing.

He didn't say anything. We stayed that way as the mixture of sweat and body heat warmed our cheeks. The couples continued to dance around us, sometimes brushing out shoulders accidently or in an annoyance of our stand still.

"When can we go home?" I asked him in defeat, sometime later that night when we had managed to disappear into the mansion's balcony. My stomach was against the wrought iron rail and my eyes were set on the horizon. The sky was dark and the moon was full, it's light illuminating the sleeping city, or rather the city in celebration of their Victor.

Finnick joined me, his hands holding the rail on either side of my waist. "A few days – we just have the Victor's tour and then you're free." His mouth was close to my ear. "Then you'll be back in District Four."

"With you." I said, falling against him.

"With me."

A thought flashed, and it was so startling that my chest ached. "Unless…"

"Unless what?" he asked, his voice reticent.

I leaned away from him again, "Unless, well…" my mind was racing in circles trying to decide the best way to put this. "You'd prefer it not be – you and me."

A moment of silence passed and the ache became more unbearable.

"Annie-"

I bit my lip, holding back another fresh wave of tears. He didn't want me. Everything that had happened before I'd left was all just a whirlwind of unrequited desire. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious.

His head fell into the crook of my shoulder, "I do – of course I do – but there's something you should know before…" He made a low, frustrated sound, "I had to do something, out of desperation, to get you more sponsors. I'm not proud of it, oh Annie, you have no idea how much I regret it now."

I didn't like the tone in his voice. I crossed my hands over my chest, settling on the silky material. "Go on."

"Please, _please_ understand that it was something I didn't want to do –"

"Just tell me what it is, Finnick."

He exhaled and I felt it on my skin. "I slept with a woman from the Capitol so that she would sponsor you."

Despite the despairing feeling swallowing me whole, I tried not to waver. "When?"

"After you accidently killed Alec." He was waiting for me to respond. "People were beginning to spread rumors about you going mad and no one wanted to sponsor you-"

"Maybe I am crazy –"

"No!" Finnick said, moving to my side to look at my face, "It wasn't your fault, Annie."

"It seems like it." I said, the tears falling freely now. "You _had _to because I was too busy losing my mind!"

"No, no." He begged, "God, no, Annie!"

His arm went to grab mine but I drew it away. Again, I felt the horrifying impulse to plunge out of this reality and shut my eyes. This time I did, but only for a little, before opening again to see FInnick's face ridden in desperation.

My hands came up to my face as I hit another realization. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry – it's all my fault –" if I was stronger, Finnick wouldn't have had to do anything that rash. But I wasn't. I wasn't strong.

"Annie it's not your fault, that isn't why I wanted to tell you that." His voice was shaky, "I wanted to tell you so that you would know what had happened – so that you could decide whether you still wanted to be with me because Annie, I _want_ to be with you – more than anything else in the world."

Why? Why would Finnick Odair want to be with me? Everyone was right: I was losing my mind. Why board him on this sinking ship? It was selfish.

"Ok."

"Ok?" he echoed. His blonde hair was falling into his forehead.

"Ok." I nodded.

He looked around him, confused. "What does that mean?"

"It means," I tried to swallow against the lump in my throat, "Thank you for telling me."

"And?"

I walked backwards, leaving a few feet of space between us. "And, that's it."

"Annie-"

"I'm tired –"

"Don't walk away, not now –"

"So I'm going to bed –"

"Don't _leave –"_

"Good night, Finnick."

"Annie –"

But before he could rush to grab me, I had squeezed between two large people and just became another face in the crowd.

* * *

**A/N: I'm baaack (: I stayed at the beach and was able to get a great tan but was so happy to come back home and write this chapter. Thank you for all your reviews! xx**


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29 -** Finnick

* * *

I sat, alone in the big apartment on the fourth floor. Helia was with Annie, and so were both of the stylists and Mags. Annie was set to speak at any minute now and all of Panem will have this channel locked into their television sets. The Capitol likes to be in power that way.

It buzzed with white noise before it began to tune into an image of Cesar Flickerman. His purple lipstick and sallow cheeks were taut with a firm smile, anxiously awaiting until he got a cue – he flicked his eyes sideways, nodded – from the camera crew to begin speaking.

"Good evening, friends." The way he assumed an amicable viewership astonished me still, nineteen years later. "Cesar Flickerman, here and I am sitting in this very room with _our_ Victor from District Four, Annie Cresta!" He proclaimed excitedly, as the camera zoomed out of his face and showed the girl sitting across from him.

She was perfect. Anyone that saw her would trip over themselves for a chance with her. Her eyes, looking more blue than green today, were tentatively searching the room. Last night's conversation was still running circles in my head, but I knew that once I had more time with her – when we were far away from here – she would think differently. She wouldn't have the pressure of Seneca Crane condemning her for what she was going through. Her post-traumatic stress disorder as the Doctor's call it.

"So, Annie – how does it feel to be the Victor of the Seventieth Annual Hunger Games? Is it exciting? Are you riveted?"

For a flash, her face sunk, but then she smiled for Cesar and all of Panem. "It's fantastic. I'm happy to be here."

"Now.."he leaned in closer in a conspiratorial whisper, "I know this is going to be hard to talk about, but we'd just like to know how you're doing since…" he trailed off, waiting for Annie to answer which resulted in her tangling her fingers over the long, navy blue grown she wore. "We understand you had a very close friendship, or perhaps relationship, with two of the Tributes."

Cesar was treading in troubled waters. Annie's lower lip quivered and with great force, one that only I or someone close could recognize, collected herself. "Yes, you were well-informed." Her voice trembled with bitterness. I could imagine Mags and Helia behind the cameras, pointing at a smile on their face with clear instructions that Annie would mimic it.

"And Lucas, who _was_ the male Tribute from your district," Cesar explained and she cringed, "killed before your very eyes, beheaded in fact, wasn't it?"

Annie's eyes were the saddest shade of icy blue I had ever seen. "He was."

"It was a very, very tragic moment for all of us here as well. We really sympathized with you, Annie. So difficult." Cesar reached for her, giving her hand a firm pat.

"So then was it your dormant skills for survival that ultimately led to your decision to killing Alec, the tribute from seven?"

Annie seemed to have collapsed in just a span of seconds. In one hasty motion, her hands were over her ears and she was breathing raggedly. Cesar looked around in terror, eyeing his team for advice on his next move. He hesitated and then stared back into the camera, trying to ignore Annie's sobs.

"We will be back in just a few moments with Annie Cresta,"he said brightly, his words meandering into an unenthused proclamation as he finished with, "our Victor."

For however long it took to get Annie back in order, I buried my face in my palms, pushing down the desire to hurtle the television out of the balcony. Not because of Annie, but because of everything the Capitol had put her through and was _still_ putting her through. Torturing her with sedatives and allowing her to groggily roam the next few days with – I was sure – more sedatives and medication.

"And we're back." It snapped back on, the black once again dispersing to the room where Cesar and Annie were. "Feeling better, Annie?"

Her head bobbed around a little while her half-lidded eyes were trained on Cesar. "Much."

I felt anger boil my veins. Had they _drugged_ her for the rest of the interview?

Cesar gave her another, condescending pat. "So explain the last moments of the Games for us."

Annie gave a start, then smiled wearily, "There was a flood, and I swam."

"Aha." He smiled. "Best swimmer of the rest, I presume?" he indulged himself with a titter. "Well, I'm sure District Four will be anxiously awaiting your arrival, just as the rest of the Districts will for your Victory Tour." His gaze landed on the camera again. "Congratulations, Annie Cresta and Goodnight, Panem!"

I wait patiently in the room for another half hour before an Avox ushers me into the elevator. It's time to board the train and begin the Victory Tour. Alone, the journey seems endless. Usually, the Victor is lead with both their mentors from the President's mansion onto the waiting train. I wasn't allowed near Annie yet. There were cameras outside, but I had expected that. I smiled dashingly at the screaming voices – most belonging to women. So I hadn't lost my touch, at least. A man has a camera stuck on my face, probably waiting to see a change in my reaction, when I see Annie in front of me, only Mags is standing between us. I patiently wrap up the parade onto the platform, waving and smiling as if nothing was wrong. As if, I wasn't slowly withering inside at the anticipation of having Annie alone again.

Finally, the door closed and we're all safely hidden away from the public eye. Annie is still shaken up, sitting on the dining room table with Mags, an arm around her shoulder. Mags casts me a weary glance, as if she were wondering whether I was better suited for the job. Costas frowns, putting both fingers up on either side of his head and rubbing the temples.

I stay where I am, half because I was scared to move too suddenly and half because I was waiting for Mags and Costas to take the hint and leave. Mags whispers something into her ear and Annie nods, still looking petrified. Then, slowly, her eyes drift around the room, digesting the scene, until they land on me. Almost instantly, her eyes light up with a new kind of fire – not like the way they did when Cesar began to mention Alec and Lucas.

"Finnick..." She said throatily, an arm weakly reaching out to me.

I barely notice Mags smile when I hurry to her, taking the seat Mags was in and taking her hand in mine. "I told you I'd be here for you."

She's somewhere in between an internal battle with tears and joy. "I'm sorry – I was stupid."

"You weren't stupid." I watched her eyebrows raise higher on her head. "I would've been angry, too, if I were you…"

I tell her softly, rubbing circles on her hand. "It's going to be different now, just watch. We'll be away from the Capitol and you don't have to put up with _any_ of that anymore."

A single tear runs down her cheek at the same time a tight-lipped smile forms. "I hope so."

Later that night, we're talking in her room. She's sitting on her bed, legs crossed and looking years younger than she was. Her face was wiped clean of makeup and her hair was still damp from the shower. I had been waiting outside for her to finish and remember being washed with a wave of lavender when she opened the door.

"So…" she piped, her voice unnaturally high. "How was it...those nights?"

"_That_ night." I corrected. She was really wondering about my night with the Capitol woman. I laughed but without humor. "Terrible. I hated myself every minute of it, but I went through with it because I knew, in the end, it would help you."

She shook her head in what seemed like an apology.

"But, I didn't get to use it – the money I mean." I said, the thought stinging sourly at my sides.

"Why?"

"There wasn't anything I could think to give you." I shifted in my seat across from her. "It seemed like everything you needed…was impossible to buy."

"I needed _you_." She said, her eyes wide and honest.

Overwrought with longing, I crossed over to her and gathered her into my arms. I wanted to kiss her – I _have_ been wanting to kiss her since her return, but somehow I felt like she still wasn't ready for it. I didn't want to overwhelm her with anything and decided, I would wait for her. Stiffly recalling the memory of my Victory, I had felt so confused and disoriented. A relationship would be a big step, and I wanted it, but she needed to get back to District Four first and sort things out.

The rest of the week on the train, we only separated for the times when she had to be up on stage, begrudgingly soaking in the applause and compliments from District after District. Whenever she finished delivering the short, but proud speech that had been written for her, she would rush over to me and shakily take hold of my hand, as if she wouldn't be able to walk again if I wasn't there to support her. Sometimes, back in the train, she would retreat to her room and lock the door. She wouldn't even want me in there with her. Costas, accustomed and almost bored with the routine by now no longer bothered with her. Mags, on the other hand, waited with me. We didn't know what was going on in Annie's head, but we put our highest efforts into trying to understand her.

Lest, the day we reached District Seven, Annie couldn't even get through her speech. Instead, she had instead persisted to seek out Alec and Isabelle's parents. Coasta's was going on and on about how we would be falling behind on schedule and how this was completely inappropriate and how he really and very seriously advised against it. But the moment we found them, the gratitude in their eyes was more than enough to know that we had made the right decision.

"You know, Annie, Alec was always a very curious boy." His mother reminisced as she pat the damp area underneath her eyes with a handkerchief. "Ever since he was able to be reaped, he would hope every year that it would be him.."

She must've seen the speculation in Annie because she instantly piped up, "He wanted to give us a new house. And sweets, oh, we all loved sweets - Isabelle, especially." She smiled at the memory, the dark circles under her eyes becoming more prominent. "I would bake for them whenever I got my hands on milk and eggs and flour, which, unfortunately, wasn't very often." She shut her eyes. "He was sure he would win. He _knew_ he would."

"I didn't think I would." She blurted, biting her lip afterward.

Alec's mother looked down at her, with tears still forming in her blue eyes and distress in her face. She looked like Alec. Isabelle looked more like her father, tough and an heir of mystery with dark hair and dark eyes.

I didn't know what had come over me then. Maybe it was seeing the worn down house his parents and seven-year old sister lived in. Maybe it was seeing the sorrow in Annie's eyes as Alec's mother showed her the room he used to share with his sister. But whatever it was, I reached for my pocket and took the wad of money that was there.

The woman's eyes lit up in wonder. "We can't possibly –"

"Take it." I told her with a smile, "So none of you will ever be hungry, and she…" my eyes drifted to the small girl sitting atop her bed, legs floating in the air because their too short to reach the dirty floor, "will never have to take tessarae."

"And buy her sweets!" said Annie suddenly, tears in her eyes, "Lots of cookies and cakes – you like cookies, don't you, Willow?"

A sheet of inky black hair fell over her shoulders as she smiled and nodded, the innocence of her youth making her forget for a moment that her big brother and sister are still hiding somewhere.

I stood, making my way towards the woman and her husband and offered them both the money. With a short flash of hesitancy, he took it from my hand and gleamed down at me. "Thank you, so much."

I fell back towards Annie, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulder as she leaned her head there.

"You two are lovely." The woman gushed, but despite it all, the sadness in her voice had never left. At that moment I realized how broken I could've been, if it were Annie that hadn't come back, and I knew from the way she couldn't find it in her to let go of me, that she was thinking the same thing.

* * *

**A/N: Ok I know you all hate me for the last chapter - so i wanted to make it up to you (**find it in your hearts to forgive me...pretty please?**) **  
**Some of you were wondering, though, about Annie and why she was feeling like she didn't deserve Finnick. Answer: I did it because she's beginning to believe - mostly due to outside forces - that she, herself, is crazy instead of just going through a post-traumatic episode. So, she begins to suffer from low self-esteem and things, and didn't want to feel like she was forcing Finnick to be with her and deal with this newfound 'insanity'. Hope that's cleared it up! (: **

**And please review (: **


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30 -** Annie

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My eyes flew open and I woke up drenched in my own sweat.

Instead of waking up to see the familiar sights of my room on the train or my room back at District four, I was looking at a whole new room. One that after only 15 hours here, I still wasn't entirely acquainted with. Everything was too big, too spacious, too _gaudy_. I never thought I would recoil against such riches, but after everyone that died to get me here, it just didn't seem right. I felt like this house was built with the bones of Alec's body, the soul that once belonged to Lucas, the sweat that had once perspired from Isabelle. Nothing about it was right.

When I had arrived earlier in the afternoon, I was so happy. I felt breathy laughter expel from my nostrils as I remembered the way I leaped into my mother's waiting arms to Avan's and then my fathers. I felt like I would combust. Finnick and Mags had taken me to the new house, where my family was already settled. They had been living there ever since I had been pronounced Victor. The idea of my parents gaining something out of this pleased me, and the grandeur of my new circumstances were attractive for a while. But that beguilement was short-lived and transformed to regret.

My parents talked to Finnick and Mags for the entire night, thanking them for their guidance and for bringing me back to them. Finnick had told me he was nervous about meeting them. 'But what if they don't like me?' he said.

My mother was actually – and she would always admit this to me, red-faced and begrudgingly – pretty obsessed with him. I decided not to tell him this, though. It was enough to see my mother sway a little off balance at the front door at the sight of him.

There was a knock at the door and a voice came through the door, stifled and hallowed. "Annie?"

"Yeah." I said, waiting to see the inky black hair that belongs to my brother poke through.

"You okay?" He asked me, noiselessly shutting the door behind him. He ventured further into my room. "I heard you talking…"

"I was?" I asked him, thinking back to my dream but not remember what it was about exactly. I just remembered feeling scared and cold.

"Kinda loudly – something reminiscent of screaming, actually." He smiled sadly. "Are you _really_ okay?"

"I want to be." I said, motioning him to come sit by me.

"That doesn't really answer my question, Annie."

I sighed, the darkness of the night reminding me of the shadowy blanket that would envelop me after I had been anesthetized. Suddenly, I felt calmer – reticent.

"Avan," I turned to face him, "Can we not talk about that yet?"

Outside, I could hear the murmur of my parent's muffled speech from their room down the hall. They were probably talking about me, worried sick. I wanted to prove to them that I was all right. There wasn't anything wrong with me. Although, sometimes I think there is.

"Was it nice seeing me again? I bet you missed me the most."

I laughed, "_No, _ I missed you the _least._" But that was a lie.

He sat on the edge of my bed, next to me. His eyes a glittering green, as if he had been crying. "I would tell you that I'm really sorry about everything that happened back there." He began, taking a sharp intake of breath. "But you've heard it a million times today. I'd rather tell you that everyone's so happy that you're back. Fillippa was a mess when you were gone. She was like a leech – I honestly couldn't get her off me."

"Don't flatter yourself." I said coyly.

He smiled. "You know who asked me about you everyday?" he continued after my silence. "Robbie Dean."

Robbie Dean. Somehow, during this eleven day span that seemed more like eleven months, I had forgotten about my crush on Robbie Dean. He was one of Avan's friends. A schoolgirl crush that had developed only for the worse as I grew into a teenager.

"I don't care about Robbie Dean." I said, the bemused nonchalance in my voice surprising me. It seemed there were worlds, universes – lightyears! – between us now.

Avan raised a dark eyebrow, just one and I had always wished I could harness his talents. "You know I'm talking about the Robbie Dean that you and Fillippa used to spend hours talking about….collecting pieces of his hair or –"

"We only did that once!" I intervened and we both laughed. My head fell forward into the warmth of his shoulder. It was beginning to feel cold again and I tried to hold onto the simple joy of the moment as it slipped through my fingers.

"Hey, I wanna ask you something." He asks and I nod.

He shifted in the bed, "Do you not like Robbie anymore, because you like someone else?"

His words caught me off guard, and I wasn't sure why I suddenly felt so self-conscious about what he would think. Would he also think that it was inappropriate for me to have feelings for my mentor? I can see why it would matter if he were older…but he was only four years older than I was.

Screw it.

"Yeah."

"Is it the Capitol Hearthrob?" he joked.

I couldn't resist a laugh. "Avan, gross – that's incest!"

It took him a moment for him to realize what I meant, before we were both bent over in laughter.

The next morning, I climb out of bed and get dressed. My old clothes are under my bed, packed into an old suitcase. My mother said that Helia had sent over new clothes for me and that he would be really hurt if I didn't wear it. I didn't have the heart to argue; the clothes were beautiful. The silky fabrics were like nothing I had ever owned before. I had only worn silk for the recap of the Hunger Games. I reached for a blue dress with a subtle floral print. It was sleeveless and reached a little higher than my knees, the material flowing in pleats around my waist and legs. After I combed my hair, I didn't have to walk much to reach the stairs. My room was the closest to it, on the left. I used to live in a normal, one story house a few blocks away from the sea. But in this house, I had the sand in my backyard. I decided that once I would get the hang of things, I would invite everyone over here for a Bonfire – like the ones we used to do every Friday.

I walked through the empty living room, save for small pieces of furniture that my mother had managed to scavenge to furnish the place. I found the kitchen and smiled when I saw flowers on the table.

My mother noticed me and came over to hug me. "Guess who those are from." She teased coyly. I could practically hear the burning question of my relationship with Finnick. She draped her arm around my shoulders and guided me to the stool around the counter. There was something sizzling on the stove and the smell of pancakes filled the room. She reached behind her for a bowl of sliced yellow fruit.

"Mango." She told me, "I bought it from the Market yesterday for you. It's delicious."

I grabbed at a slice and the mango slipped right out of my fingers. I looked at my mother to see her holding a spatula in one hand and the other clenched to her heart. "Careful this time. It happened to me, too."

"Where's dad?" I asked, this time successfully taking a bite of the mango to have the sweetness tingle my groggy morning senses.

"Like it?" she smiled. "He's out fishing – you know he always likes to wake up before dawn to get a good catch. He wasn't expecting you to wake up so early, though. He should be back in a few minutes."

"It's okay." I took another piece. "I don't want anything to be different from how it was."

"Right, because this house isn't 'anything different from how it was'." Avan traipsed through the door, still in solid grey pajama pants and a shirt to match. He reached into my bowl and swiped a mango strip.

My mother penalized him with a glare. "So Annie was telling me about how she's not in love with Robbie anymore."

Now, I glared at him. "I was never in love with him."

"Robbie Dean?" my mother's voice cut through, her smile widening. "Oh, you were definitely in love with him, Annie. Didn't she have a picture –?"

"No! That was Fillippa's picture." I said defensively. They didn't seem to believe me. But it was! Fillippa was the one that had found it lying around somewhere…

"She's moved on apparently." He said, smirking conspiratorially.

"She could be in love with a goat for all I care." My mother said suddenly, her eyes welling with tears she hadn't allowed herself to shed since last night. "I'm just glad you're back Annie." She reached across the counter to me, taking my hands. "I love you _so_ much."

I bit back the rising lump in my throat. At least this time, I wasn't holding back pain-filled tears. "I love you more."

* * *

**A/N: You guys are awesome! Thank you for the reviews (: How was everyone's last week of summer? **

**By the way, one of my friends is struggling illustrator/stationer and is in the process of starting up a mini stationary business. Her etsy shop isn't up yet but she does have a blog to document her most recent drawings and pretty much anything else that interests her. If you guys are interested, it would mean so much if you could check out her blog: **bowlerhatdesign (dot) blogspot (dot) com**!  
****I'll write an** extra cute** Finnick chapter if you do :D Ok, admittedly, I was planning on writing a really fluff-filled one anyways, so it wont really affect the outcome of the next chapter!**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31 - **Finnick

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The big house at Victors Village suddenly felt _too _big. There was too much and I didn't have enough to fill it. It needed more people, I realized. It needed family.

I left the bed undone and slipped into the kitchen, still groggy and in nothing but my boxer shorts. I reached down for the fridge, pulled the cold metal handle and opened it for inspection. I reached out for a carton close to me and made a face: the milk had gone bad. I reached in again and found strawberries, no longer red but bruised and soggy. I threw that out, too. After a few more minutes, it became clear to me that my stomach would not be fed here. Everything was obviously spoiled after almost two weeks of being away.

Begrudgingly, I dragged myself back to the room, still dark because I hadn't bothered with the drapes, and turned the light switch on. It didn't feel right though. I had been locked up in buildings for so long that I had grown too accustomed to it. With one quick motion, I switched it off and opened the taupe-colored curtains, allowing patches of morning sun to enter my room.

It was good, I thought as I pulled on a pair of jeans, going out to the bakery to get bread or something; I could see my friends again. They were probably wondering where I was after finding the house empty all of yesterday. Truth was, I wasn't sure I was ready to see them again. Things were different now. Like a magnet, there was some force or even nagging that persisted upon seeing Annie first. That as long as I could talk to Annie, this emptiness would recede. But Annie had a big day with her family. After all, they hadn't seen her for much longer than me and it would be selfish to intrude on their time together.

After a clean t-shirt, I was out the door and walking down the pebble street down into the Square. There were more people here than usual. As a result of Annie's win, there was more food and resources. I smiled at a middle-aged woman that used to be my teacher at School. My first stop was the Bakery, and after a few feet of walking, I was already sticky with sweat. The sun was scalding, today. I waited in queue, but it felt short because everywhere I turned, someone wanted to talk to me. Some I didn't know even came up to me with adoring smiles. I had saved one of the children, at least, they would tell me enthusiastically. Admittedly, the compliments had me bubbling inside. I felt a little more like Finnick now. The attention coated me like the chocolate frosting on the three-tier cake on the stand over by the window. Even though, I definitely looked better than the cake.

Soon it was my turn and the woman behind the counter smiled. "The usual?" she asked, already twisting away from me to get my order.

I nodded, smiling back at her. She was reaching over her for the loaf of bread and placed it in front of me before getting a small brown package.

"Peanut Butter cookies topped with Sea Salt, just how you like it."

My grin widened. "You're my hero, Sutton." Of all girls that I knew in this District, Sutton was the one I considered a friend. Not once had she _ever_ tried pulling a move on me - because believe me, I barely had to pull anything to get attention over here - and for that, I knew I could trust her.

"It's been too long." She said, "Two weeks? You've got to stop going up there, Finnick." She lifted her hair into a ponytail, leaving some spots of flour on the blonde. I'd known Sutton since I was little. She was two years older than me, but we'd always remained close. Her parents owned this Bakery, and now she owned a part of it, too.

"I know." I actually hadn't given much thought to what would happen next year. Could I just stop volunteering? Was it that easy? "I don't think I'll have a reason to go back there next year."

"Yeah?" her eyes brightened. "That's great!" I'm sure she would've pulled me into a maternal hug if it weren't for the counter between us and the long queue of customers. I took my things and kissed her goodbye before walking out.

"Hey, Finnick!" a voice said from somewhere around me.

I turned around and then someone tapped my back. "Hey."

"Avan – what're you doing around here?" I said grinning, giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Before Avan used to be a friend, not a good friend, but we'd see each other around and I'd buy fish from him for me and my grandmother. But now, he was like a male version of Annie…and it kind of freaked me out.

"Just walking around, you know." He studied the paper bags I held onto. "Went to Sutton's bakery?"

"Oh yeah, got some stuff. Cookies?"

"No, thanks. My mom's been going crazy with all the new stuff we have and she's on a baking frenzy. Can you die from over-eating?"

I laughed. "How's Annie doing?"

His eyes glinted shrewdly. "You haven't spoken to her today? You could call…"

"I would've, but I didn't want to interrupt…family time."

Avan shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets and nudged me forward to walk with him. "Who would've thought right? That my little sister would be reaped."

I could feel that this conversation was about to significantly darken and for a moment, I wanted to do anything I could to evade it. I gave him a sympathetic frown.

"Thanks, though, really." He said suddenly, "You brought her back home."

Now, I was beginning to feel modest. It seems like I was experiencing a whole bunch of new emotions lately. "Well, she had something to do with it, too."

He ignored me. "I don't know what you did, but for a moment, we really thought she'd lost it. I know it was difficult…everything she had to see…but I thought – that's it, Annie's a goner."

"She's strong."

"It was when..when.." He shifted his shoulders, "she got that note when everything just turned around."

I was already preparing fictional content for said note when an old school buddy came by and joined us, breaking the tension. He told me about what had been happening while I was gone; how Lissa was dating Len and it had taken everyone by surprise – even though it had already been five years since…

"She's nothing like her." Avan told us. "She's really quiet and sort of shy."

"She doesn't sound familiar." I said, wracking my brain for the girls my age.

"She probably won't. She's older – way older. At least six years older than Azure." The friend that had joined us, Cliff, flinched at the sound of her name. it was the usual reaction whenever Azure was mentioned in conversation. She had never quite been able to be stowed away.

"It didn't seem like he would ever get over her death." Avan went on as he put a hand on my shoulder. "It was tough."

"Well, good for Len, right?" I said, trying to change the tone of the conversation, "At least he's found a way to move on with his life."

And how that was true. Being in the games taught me that, five years ago. No matter how horrific your circumstances had been just a few hours ago, life at home was still the same. Nothing had changed for them. After being in the arena, I changed, we all do. I just don't see things the same way anymore. Then I realized that no matter how many times I wallowed in guilt for killing so many tributes, there was nothing I could do about it. I don't regret being the one to win, to live. I would've killed hundreds more if it meant keeping me alive. I loved life. I didn't want it to end at fourteen.

Suddenly feeling like I could no longer keep up with their conversation, I bid them goodbye and went walking in the opposite direction, towards the only spot that would keep me from going insane with misery. A little way off the beach was a small inlet of water, dug deep into the woods. All I had to do was follow the flow of water from the outer edge of the sand and within minutes, I was there.

I'd take my things back to the house and perhaps, with a Sutton's help, I could actually spruce it up a bit. Then I'd go and pay my old friend a visit.

That evening, I find myself settled on a rock by the bank of the water. The sky is dipped in pinks and oranges, special colors that most people missed because they would retreat indoors for dinner or the terrible bugs our District was plagued with. Seeing as I had no one to be with, the idea of being stuck at home was actually quite unattractive.

I looked into the blue to see my reflection: the vision of a distressed man with unusually good looks. I smiled, and he smiled back at me. There, that was all I needed right? Family wasn't _that_ important.

But I was lying to myself. And to my handsome reflection.

"Finnick?" said a small voice from behind me. I turned at the waist and felt like everything I had just been feeling had melted away. There was Annie, standing in a green dress; not like the ones that they used to dress her in at the Capitol, but a simple dress. One that just suited her.

I moved over so that she could sit beside me, though, it wasn't the most comfortable accommodations. "How'd you find me?" I asked, smiling.

Her response came disheartedly. "The girl from the Bakery. I saw her leaving your house and I asked her."

I told her about my afternoon, and how Sutton had helped me. "What have you been up to?"

She sighed, her thin shoulders dropping like falling twigs. "Just spent time with mom and dad. Avan told me he saw you at the Square earlier." She fidgeted with the hem of her dress. "You haven't stopped by today."

The way she said it made my insides split in two. "I was just giving you and your family some time alone."

Her profile was silhouetted against the shining light, now beginning to descent into the horizon. She looked straight ahead, a small frown on her lips. "I figured." Her eyes glanced sidelong at me. "I missed you."

I looked at her and put my hand over the one picking at her dress, and it stopped. "I missed you too."

"Finnick," she asked in a small voice, tilting her face towards me. "Where's your family?"

I turned away. "Don't have one."

The mere thought of bringing it all up again made my chest constrict. I had tucked it all away in a neat little drawer inside my head. I wasn't about ready to take it out.

"You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

"It's not that I don't want to." I squeezed her hand, "I'm just not ready."

With hesitation, I noticed, her head landed on my shoulder. "My parent's like you. My mom can't stop talking about you." She said, laughing a little.

I smirked. "I like your parents and Avan….and I like you…"I didn't quite understand why that wasn't enough to describe what I felt for her, so I added, "a lot."

Her head slowly rose, reaching eye-level. "I like you a lot, too, FInnick." Her face was closer and her breath was hot on my face. I reached up and put my hand against her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin. I wanted to kiss her, but a part of me – a _really_ annoying part – told me to wait, not to rush. Her leg brushed mine, leaving some of the skin above her knee exposed. She was searching my face, looking for undiscovered words or answers to something, and the pout to her lip – I couldn't resist. My lips went crashing into hers, and her arms wrapped around my neck. It was a kiss burning with longing and subdued with caution, mostly on her part. But just knowing that she still felt the same was enough. I had lost my family, and Annie Cresta was not someone else I was prepared to lose.

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**A/N: GAAH! Sorry I took so long to update! It was mean of me, I know. This chapter should've been fluffier, but I was plagued with a slight case of writer's block -_- And with that being said, if anyone has anything they'd like to see happen/ideas, send them my way! It's always nice to have a fresh look at things.  
****And to all my Americans, how did you all spend your **long** Labor Day weekend? Totally needed it, right? And for all my non-Americans, hope you're having a great week! Now, let's see if we can get to 300 reviews! It would be pretty amazing to hit that many (:**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32 -** Annie

* * *

The next morning rose gray and dark. I dug myself further into the covers, enjoying the darkness for once. Sleep hadn't come easy last night. Once I had gotten back home after seeing Finnick – as I usually have been for the past week – I lay in bed, my mind relentless and unwelcoming to the night. But then again, sleep was always difficult lately. I had found some sort of peace with the repetition of everyday life. As the days went on, I found my mind less troubled, but never completely relieved of it.

"Annie?" Avan said after knocking on the door. This had become another part of my life now: Avan coming to check on me every morning. Sometimes I wondered if it was because they all still worried about me.

"Morning." I called out, begrudgingly sliding my feet over the bed. The response seemed enough to satisfy because I heard him walking away. I went to the bathroom and turned on the shower, undressing before I climbed in. Unlike sleep, my body welcomed the warm water as it sprinkled on my skin, leaving me warm from the inside out. Today I was going to see Fillipa. It had been almost two days since the last time we met and she told me she had something important to tell me; something that couldn't wait.

"Annie?" I heard Avan again, but his voice now alarmed. "Annie?"

"In the shower!" I said as I turned off the water. So much for a long bath. I dried myself a little and then wrapped myself in a white, fluffy robe Costas had left me. I opened the door to find him awkwardly standing in the middle of my room. "Whats up?"

He titled his head up towards the ceiling. "Just…bored."

I raised a speculative brow at him. "Bored?"

He nodded, a little too quickly. "So what are your plans for today?"

I went around him to the closet, looking for something that would withstand the rain. "Lunch with Fillippa. I told you yesterday."

I found a gray t-shirt and eyed it fondly. Gray was Fillippa's favorite color, an odd choice, but I wasn't one to judge. She'd always been one who made it a point to stand out, so when all the girls in our class decided that they wanted to like pink or purple, she went with gray. She only wished she would've chosen black, to evoke an even more startled reaction.

"So what do you think? Annie?" Avan was looking at me strangely.

I turned to him. "About what?"

His face did that thing I didn't like. I had never seen him wearing this look before, but it seemed to be his most popular expression now since I'd been home. "Avan, you didn't say anything."

"I asked you if you wanted me to go with you. And, then I repeated it." He cocked his head to the side, "Annie, are you feeling sort of…_off_ today?"

A flame of indignation sparked in my chest. "_Off?_" I huffed. "I'm not _off_. I'm completely on."

He threw his hands out in front of him, as if surrendering. "I didn't mean it like that, you know I didn't. I was just wondering if you were feeling okay."

Something strange passed between us then. Perhaps misunderstanding or stubbornness, but I didn't want to keep talking about this.

"How's Finnick?"

No one knew about Finnick and me yet. Come to think of it, I didn't even know about us yet. We saw each other every day, but we never talked about it. A part of me wanted to bring it up sometimes, because all I wanted was for us to be together, officially, but the coward in me usually won that battle. I bent down to grab a peach, chiffon skirt I had used a few days ago and decided that it would add a nice, feminine touch to the rain boots. "Didn't you see him yesterday afternoon? I thought you guys were hanging out or something."

He leaned back against the wall. "True, but you saw him later at night. A lot can happen in a few hours."

I knew he didn't mean it like that. He was just being his usually, funny self, but his words took me to places I never wanted to revisit. "A lot _can_ happen in a few hours."

"Oh, Annie." He looked like he wanted to swallow his words and swore under his breath. "Forget I even said that."

"Don't worry about it." I had to force myself to concentrate. _Stay here. This is reality. Not the Games._ "It's just tough sometimes, when the memories come back."

He wasn't any good at hiding the guilt in his face. "Come here." Within the second, he was hugging me so tightly, I thought I would stop breathing, but it felt good. It helped me stay grounded to what was really happening. There was pressure building in my throat and eyes and I pushed away, before my feelings got the best of me. "Ok, I have to get ready! I'll tell Fillippa it's all your fault I'm late."

"Fine, fine." He walked off, but left the door open.

[+]

That afternoon, I was walking down the Square with Fillippa. We'd decided to meet at her house for food that her mom had graciously cooked. I had told her there was plenty at my house, and that her entire family would be more than welcome to come whenever they pleased, but they hadn't yet.

"So, how are you feeling?" she asked cautiously.

I laughed. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?"

Her shoulders flinched, brown waves falling into her back. "Because we care about you...a lot, and well, you've been through…a lot."

I didn't answer. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her hesitantly face me, then straight ahead, and then back at me. Her blue eyes flickered around. "So, I wanted to tell you something."

Finally, something else to talk about! "Yeah, go ahead."

"Well, I'm dating someone." She stammered.

I cut her curious look. For some maddening minute, I felt jealous that she hadn't told me earlier. Fillippa had never had a boyfriend before and we were supposed to tell each other everything. It was like no one treated me the same anymore.

"That's great!" I said sincerely, "Who's the lucky guy?"

She brought her hands up to her face, as if silently preparing herself for what to say next. This made me worry. Who could she be dating that would lead her to be so hesitant to tell me?

"Ok, I'll just come out with it." She decided, and after a long breath, she said. "Avan."

I stopped. "Avan? Like Avan, my brother?"

She bit her lip, "Yes, your brother. I know it's so weird, Annie!" her voice rose nervously. "But you were gone, and we both missed you so much and endlessly worried about whether you'd come back or not and it just – it just _happened_."

Admittedly, the news hit me like a hailstorm. Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined Avan and Fillippa together. I must've been unresponsive for too long to be considered normal because Fillippa was grabbing at my shoulders, telling me about how it just happened and it was unexpected for her too.

"I mean…I didn't see it coming." I managed to say.

"I know." She breathed.

"One thing." I said warningly. "If you fight, I'm not taking sides."

Fillippa's chest deflated from her stilted breath before she attacked me with a hug. "You obviously come first." She said, pulling away. "But you can't ignore me once you get yourself a boyfriend."

I felt the heat rush to my cheeks and hoped she hadn't noticed. "What are you talking about?" I laughed. "A boyfriend?"

She gave me a look, one that I already recognized as the 'Don't pretend like I don't have eyes' look. "Oh yeah, because you and Finnick spending every night together is something just _friends_ do."

I wanted to retort, but when I opened my mouth, nothing came out. A part of me wanted to flat out deny it, but the other part of me was hurting and so desperately feared saying the words aloud. I smirked and we walked a few more steps without speaking. The silence consumed us, each of us enveloped into our own little worlds, only problem being that mines was no longer like Fillippas. Once, a few weeks ago even, we would've been swept into daydreams of the cute boys at school or what we would be doing that weekend. Now, the things inside my head scared me.

The sound of feet pounding against the hard ground reached my ears and I turned around, instinctively ready to fight, when I saw Avan. I shook my head, trying to erase the ferocity of my sudden behavior.

"I've been looking everywhere for you two!" He shouted, clearly out of breath.

I smiled. "I already know about you and Fillippa –"

"It's not –" he inhaled a sharp breath, "—sorry, Annie, but –"

Immediately, my thoughts drifted to Finnick. "What? Why are you sorry? What happened?"

His eyes were deadest on mine; his lackluster in comparison to usual. "Mags had a stroke."

The minutes after passed in a flurry. The District's hospital was more like a small clinic. Not a lot of people could afford medical treatment, but from what I had seen at the other District's during the Victory Tour, our was worthy of being placed in the Capitol in comparison. We rushed through the doors to find my parents in the Waiting Room. My mother stood up and opened her arms for an embrace and I fell into it. "How is she?"

Her breath felt hot against my hair. "She's stable."

I pulled away from her, "Where's –" I didn't have to finish my quandary. Finnick was sitting by the opposite wall, beside a door I imagined led to her room. I walked past my parents and dropped at his side.

He smiled when he saw me, but the pain hiding in the creases around his mouth spoke legions. Seeing him like this made my chest well with ache. "Hi." He said.

"Hi." I laced my fingers with his. "You okay?"

He laughed dryly. "I don't know."

The white walls of the hospital were growing hazy. Flashes of images filled her vision. Watching myself on the day of my reaping on a television screen. Mags holding my hand from across the table one night at dinner. Her voice a strong hum, with the beating pulse of age. I was just about to give in to it, to all of the images pulling me away from what was real. I saw a halo of bronze, a strong set of shoulders, a blue t-shirt and I felt a sudden surge of confidence. Something inside that was telling me, yelling at me, to stay strong. This was more Finnick's tragedy than yours. You need to hold him up when he falls. "You took care of me in the Games." His eyes met mine, looking surprised that I had even mentioned it to begin with, but I continued. "Now I'm going to take care of you."

His face twisted into a mixture of fear, hope, and something else – something that made my heart jump and flip and teeter everywhere. "But who's going to take care of her?"

* * *

**A/N: So, I just wanted to let you all know how between school and work, I've had more than enough to keep me occupied, unfortunately, and haven't had the time to sit down and write. The updates might take a little longer than usual :( but I promise they **will** come! Thank you for all your reviews! I've gone over 300, which is UNBELIEVABLE! Please, keep them coming (: xx**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33** - Finnick

* * *

I had been in the hospital for three days with her, waiting for the first moment that she would open her eyes. Mags' younger brother had died five years ago from an illness not even the hospital could cure. I thought that this one would be different. Mags was strong after all. She had survived the Hunger Games and once you've done that, you can do anything. This morning, my wishful thinking melted off of me, like ice on a hot summer's day. It was that quick.

"It affected the right side of her brain," rambled the Doctor, as if a 19 year old would understand all the technical terms he had been using before, "she's lucky. A lot of people have died from just the experience."

"So what now? What's the problem?" I asked impatiently.

The Doctor's blue eyes flickered down to a notebook he was holding, his fingers fidgeting against the papers there. "We've run some tests."

I waited for him to continue.

"Mr. Odair, she probably won't be able to speak again. And then there's some minor issues with her swallowing…"

"_What_?" I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to pretend like it was my hearing that was messed up than face the reality of his words. "She can't…isn't there something you could do?"

He was beginning to look uncomfortable. "Afraid not. But she's lucky, she's still alive. That's something to be grateful for."

But of course, how could I consider that lucky? How would Mags face the news? She won't ever be able to use her voice again. She will never be able to do the simplest of human tasks: hold a conversation. He'll never hear the strength in her voice, the same voice that got him through his very own games and coached him and explained tactics and…..everything.

Knowing there wasn't anything else I could tell this man without breaking down, I turned around and back into the waiting room. The anxiety was so thick in the air, it was almost palpable. Annie stood beside her brother, her arm looped around the crook of his elbow.

"So?" she said in a small voice.

I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to push away any emotions that would catalyze the threatening tears. "She's never going to be able to speak again."

A collective gasp was heard around the room. Annie's mom had wet cheeks and puffy eyes. A small woman, shorter than Annie, with skinny arms and legs. She almost looked like a child next to her husband's towering figure. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, whispering something into her ear.

Annie didn't say anything, but she held on tighter to Avan's arm. "How's she doing now?" he asked.

"Sleeping." I averted my eyes. "Always sleeping."

"Finnick," I looked back at the purveyor of the sound, "I think you should leave the hospital…just for a little while." Annie looked to her mother, perhaps for reinforcement. I was just about to object when, surprisingly, her father spoke.

"It must be difficult, going back to an empty house after all of this. We have plenty of spare rooms, Finnick."

The idea of spending the night so close to Annie thrilled me, but the fact that I felt anything else but grief plagued me with guilt. "No, I couldn't –"

"Please." Her mother said, looking at me with the same eyes Annie had inherited. There was no way I could say no to those eyes. "You've done so much for us." Most likely without even noticing it herself, her gaze drifted to Annie, who looked back at me with troubled eyes and a smile.

"Alright."

{+}

It was still early enough for the afternoon sun to be poking through the windows of the Cresta's house. Soon, it would lazily dip into the Earth, while the moon came to replace it with a different sort of light. Annie and I stood in the kitchen, her hips flattened against the countertop. She wore a yellow, silk dress that fell in smooth lines across her shoulders, hugged her waist, and fell into a blanket of gold. Again, my thoughts of anything else but Mags just seemed wrong, but I couldn't just ignore Annie. On the way back, probably the result of stress, my mind was turning with probably the worst imaginable things that could ever happen. I thought of Annie being taken away from me, her catching some sort of fatal illness like Mags' brother. I even thought of one of us being put back in the Hunger Games. Life was risky, and I didn't want to live another moment of it in uncertainty.

"Annie –"

"Finnick, what happened to your parents?" she asked shrewdly and firmly.

I let the plate I was washing fall into the sink, making a splash and sending an army of angry droplets of water towards my shirt. "That was a long time ago." I finally said.

Her fingers tapped against the countertop in one anxious swing. "You don't have to tell me, but I used to hear things about it."

Now I was gripped with sudden anger. My face felt hot but I didn't dare look at her, in fear that my anger would misguidedly use her as a dartboard.

"But I know they're not true." She continued. "Some things were so ridiculous –"

"Like when they said my brother killed himself out of jealousy?" I snapped, furiously gritting my teeth. "Or that my parents were so devastated with what I had become, that they ran off into another part of the District to get away?"

Annie flinched. Her head falling into her shoulders in silent shame. It wasn't her fault, and here I was, furiously re-living that dreaded time of my life. I cast her an apologetic sidelong glance and turned towards her, now feeling ashamed for my reaction. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault."

"What is it, then?" she meekly took a step closer. "You can tell me."

It took a few moments to collect my thoughts. I hadn't thought about my family for three years.

"There was a fire at our old house," the images vividly filled my head. My mother's earthy scent, my brother's laughter – young and carefree and ecstatic with the loads of gifts and money we had received after my Victory. "We were moving at that time, taking our things to the new house, and he went by himself." Pressure began to build in my throat. "It was at the same time that my parents were summoned to the Capitol, too. President Snow himself had come to our house to personally extend an invitation for dinner at his mansion. That night, after they had gone, our old house was set on fire."

Annie's eyes flew open. "And your brother – I'm so sorry."

"I was fixing up my new room and the hours just flew by, I barely noticed how late it was and when I did, I was so worried. I went running back to the old house to see it engulfed in flames. Once they were able to put it out, there was nothing left. My brother's body had burned to ashes." The scene set the hairs along my arm on edge. "I sent out a message to my parents that night, and I waited days, weeks….months….they never came back…

At first I thought it had all been a bad coincidence and luck just wasn't on my side. But it was too perfectly planned."

Wind from the open window swept into the room and I could see as the creases in her forehead filled with understanding."You think Snow set it up?"

I nodded. "That's why I went back the next year to help with the Tributes. I wanted to scour the city for them. Find Snow and threaten the truth out of him."

Her fingers had somehow managed to entwine with mine. "And how did you know it was him?"

My chest gave a little jump as I realized that it had all been for nothing. At the end, I had given in to what he wanted. Snow had won and my family's murder was in vain.

"Finnick?" she pressed, her thumbs rubbing circles over my knuckles. "What did he do?"

I understood the significance of this moment. This was a secret I had _never _told anyone. It was a shameful, dirty secret that I wanted to carry with me to my grave, but another part of me wanted to tell Annie. She should know. I loved her so much and she just needed to know this piece of me.

"It's embarrassing." I said, but she looked at me with no judgment, nothing but pure understanding and kindness so I went on. "Right after my victory, Snow asked me to stay at the Capitol."

She patiently waited for the missing piece of my story. "He wanted to keep me so that I could sell myself to the women at the Capitol."

Annie's breath caught. "_ No_. No, you couldn't."

"I didn't." I supplied. "That's why he killed _everyone_ I loved, so that I would have no reason to stay in District 4." And then I couldn't stop myself. The burden I had been carrying for two weeks rose from my stomach and out into my mouth, like vomit. "That's why I didn't want anyone to know about how I loved you. If the Capitol ever found out – " I cut myself off, taken aback by my own words and thoughts. If it were someone else's story, I would've laughed in their face for being so weak.

The silence that followed was mixed with a tension I can't describe. She didn't zone out, like she always did whenever someone brought up a bad memory – when she was with me, it was when she was the most grounded – instead, she moved closer, taking my face in her small hands. "_Loved?"_

I thought I would fall from the sudden rush of emotions; so overwhelming it erased all the dread and anxiety from before. It was only two weeks, and I know, believe me I know it's mad, but I was so certain of it. I loved Annie Cresta.

"Love." I corrected. And when she smiled, I could practically see it shining in the green seas enclosed in her eyes. She felt the same. I dipped my head lower, slowly inching closer to her until her lips crashed into mine, burning and fiery with passion and the full capacity of the feelings we both tried to sober for so long. Her hands messily gripped at my hair and she stumbled against the countertop while my arms went around her waist, travelling up and down her back as the smooth silkiness of her dress made me wonder what her bare skin must feel like. And that's when I knew it was all real. _I did love her. _It was unexpected and as quick as lightening, but it was more real than anything else I had ever felt before.

But there was also something else that felt real, and that was when the kitchen door swung open and Annie jumped off of me – possibly quicker than the metaphorical lightning I was thinking about earlier.

"Avan!" she said, her voice one pitch too high.

He took a moment to really digest the scene, his eyes travelling between us; but then he smirked. "I knew it."

I laughed nervously – the sound startling me because _never_ in my life had I made such a pathetic sound – and my eyes darted around the room. "I probably should've told you sooner."

He rose his eyebrows. "Nah, I guess now we're even now, right?"

Annie just laughed, her brown hair falling like a curtain around her face. "Not really. I'm not dating _your _best friend."

"I don't think you want to." I made a face, finally feeling like everything was okay. "I mean, look at me." I turned to Avan. "No offense to your friend."

Avan smiled and pat me on the back. "None taken – you hunk of a man, you."

"Stop it, Av. Finnick's off-limits." Annie smirked, and I, never in my wildest dreams, thought I'd _ever_ be okay with hearing a girl claim rights over me. But this time, it just felt natural, like if this is the way it should have always been.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews! Initially, this was the ending for the fic. I never imagined achieving such an amazing readership and I can't thank you all enough (: Now, half because a lot of you requested it and half because I can't seem to part with Annie and Finnick, I'm going to write some one-shots about the bigger milestones in their relationship. It obviously wont be a continuation of this particular moment, but like a "two years later" etc...sort of thing - so that's what you can expect for the next few chapters (:**


	34. Chapter 34

_**Part II**_

**(Glue)**

"I could lie to you and say there's something out there that will cure you. Unfortunately you will revisit this your entire life. You have seen several people die and it is something you cannot escape." The woman that had been visiting my house every seven weeks for the 14 months told me, not for the first time. Her visits were never something I looked forward to and she made me uncomfortable. Hearing her tell me that whatever it is I had going on in my head was incurable over and over, didn't make me optimistic about the future."You're specific case of trauma is caused by bursting the 'life bubble'." She continued. I fidgeted in my seat. "We try to protect ourselves with this bubble." She explained as her eyes swept sideways at Finnick. Ever since I had asked him to join me at these sessions two months ago, she would always spend a good amount of the hour sending him looks she didn't think I'd noticed. "You have singlehandedly witnessed the fragility of life, so you will never be simple-minded or carefree as you were in the past. The traumatic feelings may have been passing, but the memories are yours."

A few minutes after she had gone, I stayed sitting in my living room, hands delicately positioned over my knees. I heard the front door shut and then Finnick was re-entering the room.

"I don't even know why she keeps coming here." He said, making a face. "She's not doing anything to help."

"Haven't you been listening?" I said in a low voice. "There's nothing to do to help. I'm incurable."

I didn't see his face, but I could almost feel the frustration rolling off him. "I don't think that's true."

"Just once." I started. "Just once admit that the glass isn't half full." The way he seemed so sure that the Dr. was lying irked me.

"And what good will that do, Annie?" he sighed. "Admit defeat and just accept that things _aren't _going to get better?"

"They _aren't!_" I said suddenly, the anger in my words surprising me. "That's the whole point!"

"You're getting better." He said firmly. "Sure, you space out sometimes –"

I laughed bitterly.

"What?" Now the patience was slowly sliding out of his voice, like ice cream melting off an ice cream cone. "It's true. I'm not going to lie to you, Annie. You _do_ space out and sometimes you get into these weird moods and cover your ears like you want to tune yourself out of the world."

The truth in his words stirred me up a little. Finnick had never been so straightforward with me. Of course, I realized I did all of this. Not at the time that it was happening, but later, after reflecting on the day, I would remember and wonder why I couldn't stop it. Why it felt so normal at the time. My eyes shot up at him. "I told you: I'm hopeless."

"Let me finish."

My breath caught, taken off guard by his abruptness.

"There's no denying that you aren't the same Annie you were before the Games."

At this point, I felt the overwhelming urge to run away or coil up like a spring on the couch under me.

"But you have a family that loves you and is working through this with you." He told me, his tone softening. "And I love you, and I'm going to be with you through this too, even if it takes our entire lives."

"Finnick –"

My cheeks burned and my heart was racing. One inclination soon forgotten after a new one take over. Our eyes met, connecting us in a way that made me feel like we were meant to be like this, always. I had asked him – more times than I could count – why he wanted this; why he wanted to deal with me. his answer was always the same.

"Annie, we're stuck together…like glue."

I laughed, feeling a tear fall. "And what if the glue doesn't stick anymore?"

"That's not going to happen." He said confidently, holding out a hand and lifting me to my feet when I took it.

"But what if it does?" I insisted, smiling up at him: the shaggy bronze framing his face and the sun-kissed glow that we both shared.

"Well, this glue is different."

"Why?"

"It just is."

"It can't be different. It should be the same like every other glue."

Finnick sighed. "And since when have we been anything close to normal?"

My eyes flickered downwards. "We used to be."

His fingers came under my chin, and he tilted my face up. "Well, we're both pretty messed up then, huh?"

There was something so inspiring but glum about what he said, and the idea of being like this forever began to simmer. Would I always have these nightmares? Would I never be able to sit and talk about my experiences at the Games? Would I ever be able to see Lucas or Alec on television and not become consumed in sobs?

"You make me better." I admitted as his forehead fell against mine. "You make me feel normal." I felt his fingers travel across my jawline and mingle with my hair. "I feel the glue."

He laughed and I felt his hot breath on my face. "The glue will always be sticky. It's bound by cosmic forces we don't understand."

I smiled. "Cosmic forces? Were you really ever a heartthrob? I bet other girls never really got to know how weird you are."

He pulled me closer, his hands snaking around my waist. "It's because you're the one that brings out in me." he smirked. "And because I'm irresistible."

"Irresistible, huh?" I said, moving my mouth closer to his and drawing away just when he was going to take a try at my lips. I unwrapped his hands from around me and walked backwards, really making an effort at remaining sultry-like while keeping myself from laughing or tripping over something. Finnick's eyes widened in surprise at first, but then they darkened and he began walking towards me. I spun around and sprinted out the open back door, the one that led to the beach in our backyard. I heard Finnick calling me, but just burst out in giggles and continued running towards the ocean. My bare feet reached the water and I was surged with the icy temperature. My hesitation caused me my lead and before I knew it, Finnick had crashed into me and we both fell into the water, toppling over each other.

The saltiness felt familiar on my skin, having visited the great sea for longer than I could remember. We both laughed as we tried to stand. The late afternoon sun wasn't enough to keep us warm and I held onto my arms for warmth. I was about to suggest going back inside when I met Finnick's eyes. They were burning into mine with such intensity; I almost dared to look away. I knew what he wanted, and I knew what _I _wanted. We drifted closer and he kissed me, roughly grabbing my bottom and lifting me up onto him. I squealed in pleasure, never feeling so – so, _hungry._

"Finnick –" I said between kisses, the intoxicating transfixion almost impossible to break. He gently lowered us into the water and whispered into my ear as his lips made his way to my neck. "I love you so much."

I felt a noise forming at the back of my throat. "Stronger than glue." I managed to say. "it's so much stronger than glue."

* * *

**A/N: Oh my! Even I felt my cheeks go red at the end! ;) Anyhoo, hope you guys like it! This is the beginning of Part II, which will eventually progress to Mockingjay.**


	35. Chapter 35

**Catching Fire**

* * *

**Chapter 35** - Annie

"_WHAT?"_ I say, my voice so loud that I knew the attention I was attracting with my family sitting in just the other room. "No, _no –_it can't be true."

Finnick's hand is running through his bronze hair. "Annie –"

"Stop it!" I say harshly, the fear in my voice rising. "There's nothing you can say that'll make this better, Finnick!" The door begins to move and I see my mother's head peek from the opening as she takes the handle and pulls it forward until it's closed.

Finnick bow his head, refusing to meet my eyes. "I know."

A heavy weight hit me square in the chest before my anger subsided into the overwhelming desire to shrink into tears. Finnick came towards me, catching me as I crashed onto the floor. My legs felt numb, but everything inside of me was on hyper drive. My heart was beating too fast and my breathing was coming too ragged. I start seeing black things creeping around the sides of my eyes and the suffocation that always came with bad thoughts began consuming me. He pulls me in and I'm staring upwards at him in a blank glaze. My neck is sprawled out against him and he's looking down at me with conflicted eyes.

"So….w-who is it?" I managed to ask as I dive my gaze away. "We're the only 3 victors alive…"

He was stroking my hair over and over, like he was a machine on autopilot. It had been two months since I had last seen the destruction of the Games in my dreams. Now I wasn't dreaming. The Hunger Games were here again, and this time, it was after the few who had gotten away.

"You can't go in there again." He said fiercely. "I'm not letting you."

My tears sobered. "Mags is too old – she'll die."

"No she won't." he said suddenly.

I hung my head in silent shame. "I would never forgive myself for it, for letting Mags take my place….and how do you know that?"

His hands came under my chin and he lifted my face up to his own. There was a light burning in his eyes that frightened me."There's a plan, Annie. A plan to get us all out of there….alive."

I pushed away from him, getting a better look at him. He was being ridiculous. There was no way ."That's impossible. You're mad if you think you can outsmart the Gamemakers."

His eyes searched mine and a roguish grin spread across his face. "Then stick me in an asylum."

{+}

Three days after the commencement of the Quarter Quell 

"You." The voice belonged to one of the Peace Keepers of the District. He was walking fast towards me, his fingers abrasively pointed. "Annie Cresta."

On impulse, and without really thinking, I began to run. I ran through the messy crowds at the Square, shoving people this way and that to have many scream out in annoyed wails; but I kept my stride.

"Move!" I began to call out as more people stubbornly refused to move, "Get out of the way!" and then where the crowd was thickest, I was blockaded at all sides. Slowly, I began to realize that it wasn't people from my District, it was Peacekeepers and there were so many. I gazed over them to find someone who would help, but the white was everywhere, swallowing me whole.

"Annie Cresta." The same voice said from behind and I whipped around. "You are due 40 lashes for breaking District Law."

My heart was pounding, "What?" I demanded, "I didn't do anything! What did I do?" Arms were coming at me, pushing me down into the ground, "I HAVE THE RIGHT TO KNOW WHAT I DID!"I yelled through the curious faces, mixed with condemnation and hatred and the desire to help stop what they were doing to me.

Two Peacekeepers pulled me up by both arms and began walking me to the stage they had recently installed. The stage where there had been so many whippings and I would soon be counted as one of the hundreds.

"For," the Peacekeeper was at the center, reading off a notebook, "Illegal treachery and elicitation of the Capitol's governing forces."

And then I knew: the meeting last night. Instinctively, my hands came to ears, blocking out the sounds of his cold, cruel voice. They had heard about the meeting I had held. But all we had done was let out our feelings, what we all truly felt about having Finnick and Mags being reaped once again. We spoke of the injustices! I knew there was a plan, I knew he claimed to be safe but it wasn't written in stone. It was too dangerous. He could die any day, any moment. Couldn't they see it wasn't fair?

But I wouldn't let them see me fall, not again.

Instead, I let them carry me behind the head Peacekeeper and throw me, stomach first, on a wooden plank. I felt a pair of hands fumbling with the back of my shirt when he called out, "Stop! She is a woman. She will remain clothed."

The few moments before the first lash burned into my flesh, I looked out into the audience. The faces that had once looked at crazy Annie with pity and ridicule were staring up at me in admiration – like if I were a hero. I held onto that sight for as long as I could, but by the sixth lash, I could no longer bear the searing pain of my flesh cracking open and the blood trailing down my back like rain. I began to scream in agony, and somewhere before it was over, passed out.

That evening, the jabberyjays had their voice.

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**A/N: As always, thank you for your reviews! I really hate that I'm taking so long to update, but at the same time i don't want to totally rush through the chapters and deliver them less than up to par. I just hope they're worth waiting for :)**


	36. Chapter 36

****_Saved From the Capitol_

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**Chapter 36** - Annie

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Days have melted into each other like the rolls of vapor during a mid-summer heat wave. I used to get lost staring off into the distant sky, the sun so bright – I could never look straight into it. My hand always came to shield the unbearable light. No matter how many times my hand came up over me in a desperate – and foolish – attempt at safety, the unbearable never stopped. No matter how many times I screamed and kicked and cried, their strength always overpowered mine. Afterwards, I stared into empty space, waiting for light, for the sun. It never comes.

But…did something just move?

Through haze and blood my breath halts. My dreams are coming true or my mind is just trying to further torment me. I see figures dipping amongst the shadows and the sounds of men and women screaming bloody murder and woes of death. I hear my name, sounding so urgent and terrified in the voicebox of the beholder but I can't call back. It hurts too much. The blood is still putrid and strong in my nostrils and I can't think of anything else but the torture of just a few minutes ago. The metal bars of my prison rattle as if it were going to break, dissipate onto the floor like dust. He's calling me, it's Finnick but I can't stand. I don't have the strength or the will. Everything hurts too much. He disappears and the panic never settles. I'm numb, still. He's gone – I think – but it doesn't hurt me. Nothing hurts me as much as the lashes and beatings I've endured. Nothing feels as strong or as real.

Time passes and then there's two standing before me. Somehow, I don't know how, they get the door unhinged and it falls with a loud _clang. _The one with hair that shines bronze despite the darkness hurls himself onto the floor beside me and takes my broken body into his arms, shoving me into his chest. I have the vague recognition of Finnick and how he used to smell and the sound of his voice. It's him, I know it is. But I don't have the energy to touch him or hold him or speak to him. I'm blankly staring into his face, now recognizing every curve and indentation of his cheekbones, forehead, eyes, nose…it's him. It's Finnick. He's come to save me.

But then I hear more screams and loaded threats and Finnick's voice cracks as he says. "Annie, we're leaving. I'm getting you out of here. _Iloveyousomuch_. Can you walk at all?" his words are all jumbled together as if he didn't have the time or desire to make sense of everything he wanted to say. Again, nothing comes out when I move my lips and he hoists me off the ground, holding me close up against him and I lean my head against his chest, deciding I felt safer that way. As he runs, my eyes flicker open enough to see that Johanna and Peeta's cells have been broken into, too. Relief swells through me. We might all be safe. But then something makes Finnick lose his footing and we're both hurtling towards the floor. Unable to brace myself in time, I land on my side, feeling a sharp pain coursing through my arm from where the cemented ground hit my elbow.

The sudden spasm of agony shoots through the rest of my body and wakes me up out of my haze. I scream and suddenly, I'm alert and I twist my head around to see Finnick and another man wrestling each other. I call out to him and he spares a moment to find me as his eyes light up. "Keep running!"

My head's shaking vigorously. I didn't want to be separated from him again. It was selfish and stupid and I should know better but the injured half of me was more than willing to argue with reason. I back away with little steps, feeling a jolt of pain with each one and still watching him, hoping that he would just kill him and get this over with. Poisonous thoughts I'd never ever before experienced. Something solid stops me in my tracks and I spin around in one jerky motion. A pale lamplight illuminates the face of an unknown stranger and my pulse begins to race in fear.

"Hey, hey it's okay. I'm here to help."

"Who are you?" I demand shakily, moving backwards once again towards the direction where Finnick was.

The stranger's eyes slide over my shoulder to the beyond and he nods. An arm comes around my waist from behind and my head jerks sideways to see Finnick beside me, leading me along. We don't speak, but I feel the gentle reassurance of his grip on my side, holding me tight.

The horror of the day when they kidnapped me from my own house comes rushing back, the pounding of my heart in my ears and the cold, loneliness of being dropped in a cage for no apparent reason. The unusual mixture of chills and sweat as they interrogated me for hours until they resorted to other methods. Finnick's hand moves to my elbow and he yanks me around corner after corner, footsteps sprinting along behind us and the too-slow thud of my feet hitting the ground. I'm not quick enough, I realize and then within the dark depths of the corridor neither of us see the wall in front of us. Dead end. Finnick's grasp goes tighter around my elbow, surely enough to leave some marks but seeing his fear makes me scared, too. He drags me to a stop and steps in front of me like he was more than ready to _die_ for me and the idea of him ever leaving me again makes me feel all sorts of vulnerabilities that I should really be pushing aside.

"Just us!" says a voice. "Hurry, they're right behind us."

And by the fates or some other unearthly coincidence, it isn't Capitol guards and we're running again. This time faster and with newfound hope that we all might make it out of here. Steadfast we run, our little group. Some of us limping and some of us strong, but we're all affected in one way or another, each one of us broken inside by the Capitol. That's why they've come: for revenge.

Me?

I want revenge just as bad as they do.

But for right now, there's something shining in the distance and warmth creeps through my skin, into my bones. It's beautiful. We reach it and one by one we're crawling out of a hole broken in the wall and into the stark daylight.

I stop and smile because I need a break. Everything hurts me and I'm so tired and I just want to enjoy my freedom. I feel a tug on my arm and weightlessness as Finnick lifts me up and spins around, laughing and saying, "You're okay. You're alive."

I'm crying as I smile down at him. Happy tears. "_You're _okay. _You're _alive."

He sets me down and our foreheads touch. We stay like that for a few seconds. It's all we have. Time is precious, especially when we've vandalized, betrayed, broken into, and escaped from the Capitol. All in under 15 minutes.

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**A/N: As always, thank you so much for all your reviews (: They're as awesome as possums. okay, maybe a little more awesome than that. Moving on! I really liked this chapter! Mostly because i'm happy i found some time to sit down and write it! So it's sort of sad, but you know what happens after this? I'll give you a little hint: there's going to be cake! :)**


	37. Chapter 37

__**Chapter 37** - Finnick

_Over and under_ – my new piece of rope felt rougher somehow than the old one I gave to Katniss – _and knot. _

Annie couldn't believe it at first, District 13. Hell, I didn't either. When I'd first heard about it from Haymitch, I didn't know what to believe. I couldn't bring myself to believe that it were true – to place my life in the hands of an escape plan hatched alongside the drunkard Victor of District 12 – but it was better than dying. I didn't tell Annie. A part of me made me feel heavier somehow, as if I were carrying around weights filled with lies. But it wasn't a lie.

_Cross over. Tug left side between the loop._

The worst part was that just when I had found sublime pleasure in my life, I found a threat that it could be over.

_Loosen knot._

Upon the brutal pressure of 65th Hunger Games, I endured and came out alive. I was expecting the same results for the Quarter Quell and wasn't anywhere near willing to die for the children from District 12. Katniss and Peeta.

The star-crossed lovers from District twelve.

Hah.

Try sending the girl you love off into the arena while all you could do is sit and watch from in front of a television set.

_Pull tight._

Enclosed in the compartment that was assigned to me upon arrival here, everything seemed colder and more vituperative than the outside world. It was hard to put things into perspective and see this as an improvement: a new world for us, free from the inflicted oppression of the Capitol. Coin promises us freedom and life. A whole new life. 

The thing was, I didn't care about that. Coin wasn't luring me in with promises. I was happy now because I had what I needed – and that's Annie.

Suddenly, the rope seems useless. I was prepared to throw aside the mere thing that was singlehandedly keeping me from madness. My fingers were numb and the palms of my hands were burned from the tough material. It was time to let it go. I no longer needed the rope.

A gentle rap sounded against the steel frame of the entrance and I looked up to see Avan lolling against the wall. "You know." He said in thoughtful consideration, "I never had a chance to pay you back the first time."

I raised an eyebrow in speculation.

"You've brought her back, twice now."

"Avan, you know if I hadn't I wouldn't know what to do with myself." I told him in earnest. "So consider it a favor I did for myself, too."

He nodded slowly, his eyes gazing towards the floor as if there was something else he had to say. He exhaled and came to sit beside me. "This is going to sound cheesy – I don't do cheesy – but you guys are lucky to have each other."

Avan was the big brother, the protective overbearing sibling that every little sister should have and the fact that he so openly accepted me into the family really meant a lot to me. I pat him on the back and smiled. "Where is she anyways?"

"She was with mom and dad being smothered."

I laughed but then sobered with swelling realization. "The past 5 years haven't been easy."

Avan swallowed hard, his face tensing up along with his shoulders. "She was doing so well, recovering, getting back to normal…..then this…_this_ had to happen…"

"She'll get better again." I said but there was a tugging feeling that I felt so guilty for feeling but it was there nonetheless and it was the fear that she wouldn't ever be right again.

That morning, I left the rope on the floor.

A few hours later, after I've finished with my work in the hospital, I trek down the steely corridors to the Cresta's assigned compartment to get Annie for lunch. As a precaution, we've all spoken with the Command and have arranged her schedule so as to ensure she was never alone. I tried to spend as much time with her as I could but it was difficult, especially when her work hours were spent as a patient in the treatment center and mines were spent in the hospital, both of us individually seeking help to rid our demons. For those four hours, our schedules never crossed.

She was sitting on her bed, staring down at her open palms lying over her knees. Interrupting her seemed selfish so I watched her, wondering what was happening underneath the beauty guarding her face. Almost as if reckoned by a force beyond us, her eyes darted up to meet mine abruptly. A smile turned up the corners of her lips and her green eyes came to life. She jumped off her seat and greeted me with a hug which I so eagerly returned. Having the scent of her hair filling my nose sent a numb sort of prickling sensation throughout, because just seven days ago she wasn't so close within reach.

"Hungry?"

She nodded. "Always."

She shut the door behind her, not that security was really an issue down here, and took my waiting hand. "How's your day been?"

Her face contorts into displeasure. "Okay." She turns to me. "Peeta still isn't doing very well."

If there's one thing I felt fortunate for was that Annie was still – somewhat – Annie. The Capitol had tampered with Peeta's brain and injected venomous thoughts against all of us. At least Annie still knew that I loved her and that she loved me. Sometimes, I'd look at Katniss and wonder how she could keep herself collected. I'd decided she was stronger than me, much stronger than I would ever be if it had happened to Annie.

My hand came up to touch the scar on her cheek. One of the several bruises that would forever serve as a reminder of her torturous time at the Capitol. She fell into my touch, shutting her eyes and scattering off into another world I didn't quite understand but was still overjoyed to have a part in. I held on to her hand tighter as we walked into the Kitchen, premeditating the awaiting tension she felt with large crowds. We each grabbed a tray, her eyes wide and alert but not only attentive to one thing. She was studying the room in its entirety. The men and women serving the food, the people sitting and eating, even the flickering light fixtures on the roof and surrounding walls. I kissed her cheek, regaining her attention, and she blushed and smiled at me – for once, her eyes were focused on just one thing. I nudged her along behind me and found Johanna sitting on the same table as Katniss.

"Finnick." Johanna smirked; also acknowledging Annie although I knew she never quite understood why I had stayed with her all these years. "And pretty little Annie."

She smiled back, a tight-lipped insecure smile. "Hello."

Just then, I feel a furious wave of resentment towards Johanna that crashes into me and just barely keeps my head above the waves. I set my tray down with a lot more force than normal and glare while she remains unfazed, all arrogance and superiority. Katniss, while still not quite herself, tries to be more courteous and makes a small attempt at conversation. However, it doesn't last long. From the short time I've known her, I've grown to admire her strength and courage but not her social skills. She'd rather skin rabbits than sit down and hold a conversation for more than a few minutes. The rare times I've made her laugh never fail at surprising me. We eat in silence for a few moments.

"I've taught myself a few knots." Katniss pipes up in a sad sort of voice.

The way she sounds – so defeated – makes me feel undeserving, even privileged to have Annie back with me. But I wouldn't have it any other way. "Keep at it and I can promise you one thing."

She perks up, attentive. "You _will_ reach the time where you won't need it anymore."

{+}

"she just ran off!" I hear the sounds from the room I'm in. "Cresta. The name's Cresta."

That was all I needed to set me off. I ran out of the room, my Doctor calling out behind me, and rush to the Nurses that were just talking – one of which I recognize to be Mrs. Everdeen. "Annie?" I gripe, "What happened to Annie?"

She finally seemed to recognize me and put a hand to my shoulder, "I'm sorry, Finnick. We were just going over some things that might've happened to her at the Capitol and I'm afraid it was too much for her."

For one unreasonable minute, I was filled with fury at this woman for even bringing it up. But then again, she couldn't know this would happen, could she? It wasn't her fault. Instead of waiting for the rest of the story, I ran straight out of the hospital and turned right. I knew where she might be. It was the first place where we had been alone together since she'd been back. I was on the way to dropping her off at her compartment one night a few days ago when I saw this break in the paneling of the walls.

And there it was.

My hands reached for the wall and felt around for the handle, sliding the door open and confirming my suspicions. Annie was there, skinny arms wrapped around her legs and head buried into her lap. I fell down beside her and shut the door so that no one could find us. It might be nothing more than a closet but it was still out spot.

"Annie –"

"I can't do it." She says cuttingly. "I can't talk about it. I don't want to."

"And you don't have to." I told her with more confidence than I had authority for. "I know what it's like for you. That maddening darkness that is so impossible to shake off. I felt that way every day I was apart from you."

She lifts her head to look at me with eyes that are beginning to glitter in the dim lights. "Me too. More than before. So many nightmares." Her small wrists twist up cup the sides of her forehead. "But I'm better with you."

I nod desperately. "You are. You'll get better. Just like I got better."

Now she nods. "Let's stay here, Finnick – let's stay here forever." Her face is leaning closer to mine eagerly. "Let's stay here." She repeats with the ghost of a whisper.

And then I move forward suddenly and kiss her very hard. "Marry me, Annie." I murmur against the confluence of our lips, my hands sliding over her chest and into her dark, long hair. **"**We've been forced apart so many times and I don't want to risk it anymore." And saying this all out loud made him realize that he was lost in love, and there wasn't a single damn thing he could do about it.

Her lips sought mine again, deepening the kiss as she pulled me down onto her with one gentle tug. "Yes." She smiled into my lips, her laugh peppering our kisses until she could no longer restrain it. She pulled back and grinned, laughing and smiling in the way she always did when I knew there was no ill thoughts crossing her mind. These were the times when she was the Annie I met before the Games. The Annie I trained and coached and even spent hours upon hours on the roof with, talking and laughing and sharking secret kisses. _This _Annie wanted to marry me.

I felt like my insides would burst and I would die if I were plagued with anymore happiness.

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**A/N: Sorry it took so long (: Enjoy! x**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38 - **Finnick

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"A _wedding_?"

There was Coin sitting at the head of the table in Command. Her razor cut hair hanging just before her shoulders and with suspicious eyes. Annie stood behind me, not used to the unfamiliarity of this room…and Coin wasn't especially welcoming either.

"You heard right, President Coin." I said with newfound courage. I was channeling the Finnick I used to be before the explosion in the arena. Before Annie was taken away from me. My days of tying ropes were long behind me. "We didn't think it'd ever happen with the Quarter Quell –" Annie ducked her head and shut her eyes, fighting through an internal blast of pain and I put an arm around her, bringing her back to the present. "And we don't want to keep taking chances."

Plutarch, the once Head Gamemaker now reformed to rebel slammed the table in delight. "Splendid! That would be a splendid idea, Finnick! Annie would make a beautiful bride."

Annie raised her head, her effervescent eyes landing on Plutarch's in a shy smile and then at me, radiating. Sometimes, when she was like this, she reminded me of a child experiencing the world for the first time. And it made sense, because after she was able to rid whatever images her mind threw at her, it _was_ like she was taking a part of this moment for the first time.

"Alright." Said Coin, much to my surprise. "I'll arrange for the paperwork to be drawn."

"The _paper work?_" echoed Plutarch in disbelief. "We don't want _paper work_ – we want a wedding! A party. A celebration."

Coin snorted. Her silver sheet of hair barely rippling. "A celebration is wasteful and pointless. What do we gain from wasting our resources and ruining our schedules?"

"Not everything has to be about gaining something, Coin." Plutarch argues, but before Coin has a chance to retort, the room falls silent. Coin looks at Annie. "You said something, Ms. Cresta?"

"Happiness." Annie's small voice was louder. The corner of her eye glided up at me for a second. "To bring some joy to the people of thirteen."

Heat burned inside me. A sort of warmth you felt when you were sitting before a fireplace, cozy and protected with your loved ones. "I think the people here could use a distraction, don't you?"

Coin sat back in her chair, raising her chin indignantly. "I think they're perfectly fine."

"We could film it." Smiled Cressida from across the room. "Use it as a propo to show the Capitol that we're all alive and well – celebrating, even."

"Brilliant!" Plutarch enthused. "What do you say, Coin? Let us have the wedding."

Coin looked as if she would throw up. Her calculating stare fell on mine and down at Annie, whom smiled. "Please."

After a long stretch of silent deliberation, Coin announced, "It will be a small affair. All the planning has to be approved by me and I will decide what we use and how we use it."

I looked down at Annie to see her, mouth open in shock and smiling. The glimmer of tears shone off the corner of her eyes as she looked at me and I swooped her up into my arms, lifting her off the ground as she held on to me tightly.

"We're getting _married_." She whispered into my ear. "It's happening. It's really happening!"

We dispersed into the crowd as it began to thin out and ran out into the hall, leaving behind a band of onlookers wondering what could've brought on this strange behavior in the bowels of District Thirteen. I grabbed on to Annie's hand, leading her through the halls as she laughed. "Finnick!" she cried. "Where are we going?"

I made a left, then a right, and another right where the hall was barren. "Somewhere…" I began, checking the area to ensure it's privacy. "…where I can do this." I stepped closer to her and put one hand out in front of me, caging her in against the wall. I could see the tones of mischief playing in her eyes and when I leaned closer, she took my face in her small hands and kissed me. The fire building in our bodies somehow keeping away the cold of the underground walls. I trailed kisses up to her forehead until I reached a scar she had earned at the Capitol. My lips lingered above it and the reality of having her with me again crashed into me. Only a few days ago, she was being tortured in the Capitol. Today, all she had were scars to tell the story.

She seemed to have sensed my thoughts because her hands came up to finger the scars on my face and neck. Both of us broken and scarred alone, but complete together.

"Did it hurt?" I asked, no longer able to restrain my curiosity.

With one look at her, I knew I was about to lose her. Her eyes were shut tight and she inhaled a shaky breath. I took her chin so she could look at me. "It's okay. I'm here now. You can tell me what happened and I promise it'll never happen again, Annie. You will never _hurt_ again."

Slowly, green began to peek from beneath her lids. "They hit me. Sometimes it was because I couldn't answer their questions. Towards the end…" she swallowed hard, her heart racing a million miles a second, "they stopped asking. T-they hurt me just because…they were hurting….everyone else."

A part of me hated for asking, because I felt so guilty. I was safe here – mentally unstable, but safe. While Annie was at the Capitol being beaten by strange Capitol guards. It made me sick to my stomach. I used my thumb to wipe away the tears forming in her eyes.

"You know, Plutarch's right." She looked at me with shining eyes. "You're going to be the most beautiful bride…in the history of…life."

She laughed. "You're not that bad looking either, Fin."

"I don't know." I teased, happy to see that the tears were receeding. "Look at those dimples."

She narrowed her eyes playfully. "Look at those cheekbones!"

"Yeah, but it's nothing compared to your eyes."

Her cheeks colored like they always did when I complimented her, even after four years of her receiving them. "They're just like yours." She whispered sheepishly; her voice becoming softer but I shook my head ardently. "No." I shrugged. "I've been trying to get that 'rolling waves in the ocean' look for years! Apparently staring into the sun all these years hasn't been working –"

Annie was laughing, her head coming to rest on my chest. "Maybe I can send some your way after we're married."

"I can only dream." I said into her hair.

The days following became a whirlwind of activity. Most of it revolved around the arguments that always followed Coin and Plutarch. Turns out a lot of people were happy to hear about the wedding. Some of the ladies at the hospital even began to cry once they had heard the story of our reunion. It didn't take too long for it to become popular with the other citizens of thirteen. Katniss's little sister, Prim, was especially interested in Annie and me. She would find Annie at the hospital before or after her therapy to strike up conversation. One time, she even had Annie laughing and actively participating in conversation. I had caught them standing in the hospital corridors, Annie standing out amongst the stark white of the walls in a red dress.

"Oh, hi Finnick." Prim smiled, still reveling in minute-old laughter. "I was just telling Annie about Buttercup!"

"The flashlight thing he does?" I smirked.

Prim nodded, her young face looking older and older every day. Sometimes, it was hard to believe that Prim and Katniss were even related. They were so different in looks and character; but one common threat held them together: their fighting spirit. The one we now all shared.

"I'll stop by today and see it." Annie gushed. "We didn't have any cats at District four."

"I'll be waiting for you then." Prim looked at us then. "Oh! I almost forgot – Katniss wanted to know if you'd like one of her dresses…for the wedding. I know there really isn't anything else you can find here."

"That would be perfect, Prim. Thank you both so much." Annie said sweetly, catching my eye and grinning.

"It's settled then." Prim looked down the hall at a patient being carried in. "I'll see you two later!"

Annie watched her walk away and then turned to me. "Avan's been looking for you." Her hand found itself into the crook of my elbow. "Something about a bet?"

A bet? I didn't remember anything about a bet with Avan. I frowned, thinking. And then it hit me. Early one morning, after a night with friends and the aftereffects of too much liquor. Avan and I were letting ourselves sober out by the beach, near the Cresta's house when he told me that I'd be proposing to Annie within the next two years.

It has been exactly two years since then.

"A bet." I echoed, allowing myself a laugh.

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**A/N: Thank you for all your reviews! xx**


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39** - Annie

_The Wedding_

"Annie, I never thought I'd see the day…" Avan began, his throat catching. "You're getting married…before me?"

He sat with her on the bed, his hand around her shoulders. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, you know that?" She raised her eyes at him. "You do. And Finnick, he's going to make you really happy and he can be your husband and all that but you can't forget about me."

"Avan!" she said disdainfully. "What would ever make you think I'd forget about you? You're my brother….my best friend."

He nudged her. "What do you think Phillippa's going to think when she finds out you got married without her?"

I frowned, sadness crippling me. "I wish everyone was here."

He must've realized what it did to me because his hand squeezed my shoulder. "Go finish fixing yourself up, Annie – before Finnick regrets ever having asked you."

I smiled, the happiness of what was to come guiltily rising up just as quickly as it had gone. He walked out of the room so that I could slip into the green tangle of a dress on my bed; the one I had picked out with Katniss just two days ago. The silky fabric felt cool to the touch and I was able to slip it on easily. My hand reached to the side to pull the zipper and fasten it closed. Plutarch had been able to manage a body-length mirror to be put in my room for today and had even suggested I use Katniss's prep team to help me get ready but I didn't want them. The mere idea of having to something so close to my experience in the Games made me slowly grapple with a fleeting sense of madness. I wasn't about to feel that way today. I didn't want to fight myself. I wanted to enjoy myself.

I angled the mirror so that I could see myself fully and a smile unconsciously formed on my lips. It was a beautiful dress and I do love dresses. I flattened a wrinkle on my stomach and then went to mend my air. I let it out of it's ponytail and let it fall around my shoulders, dark and thick in tousled waves. I deliberated fixing it into an updo – the one my mother used to do on me for special occasions – but instead decided on a compromise. I reached for some of the hair around my face and pulled it into a twist, meeting the other side in the back of my head. A pin held it together and I left the shorter strands of black fall around my cheeks.

There was an elegant box with gold corners sitting on Avan's bed that I hadn't noticed before. Curiously, I opened it to see it filled with pressed powders in all colors. It was a makeup kit. I'd never used makeup before but I _had_ heard of it. I looked at a side lined with pinks, browns, and burgundies and thought of the eccentricity of painting my face with these colors. I grabbed a brush and moved back to the mirror. I studied my face, noting the flush in my cheeks and how closely it looked to one of the pinks in the case. The color only enhanced the flush. It was natural.

Next, I studied the color of my skin. By contrast, much tanner than anyone who lived here but about the same color as everyone else from District 4. Sun-kissed and bronze. I dipped the brush in a shimmery beige and brushed it against my eyelids.

I continued looking at myself. It was enough.

A few minutes after that, Avan was back in the room announcing that it was time to head down. As I walked, I noticed the rooms next to mine were empty and the lights were off. Avan motioned me to stop. My breathing hiked and I felt my body tingle, toes to fingers to the top of my head. This was it. I'm getting married. Avan's hand reached out to me and I wrapped my arm around the crook of his elbow, securely. Something about this dress, hanging off of me like an elegant tapestry, made it hard to breathe.

"Ready?" he whispered into my ear. I looked up at him, the sensation of tears prickling at the very edges of my eyes. "Ready."

He smiled, looking so much like our father and it made me hurt realizing that our parents weren't here to see this. But at least Avan was, and for now, that was enough. I couldn't do this without him here. My brother is my best friend.

He reached out and pushed back the white sheet, mimicking a curtain to reveal a long aisle of standing onlookers, all starry-eyed and directed at me. It was as if the entire District had turned up to see me getting married. I can't help the gripping shyness and look down. The narrow path left for me is lit entirely with candles as is the rest of the area. Not when of the threatening artificial lights of District 13 is on tonight.

My gaze is still down and I'm just trying to catch my breath when Avan nudges me gently. I turn my head up slowly and I see Finnick for the first time all day. My breath catches. There he is, just feet away, staring at me as if I were the only thing that existed in the world. I did well not to do much to my hair because Finnick looks so himself that it makes me wonder why I had even fussed at all. The intensity in his eyes never leaves, not even when the aisle ends and he takes me by the hand. I smile and he's still staring at me when he says, "You're beautiful."

A man from District 10 leads the ceremony, likening the ceremony to the traditional one of four very carefully. Finnick must've given him some notes. Every now and then, I feel myself getting lost in the moment but Finnick's eyes always brings me back. The moment I'm touched with those sparks of blue, it's virtually impossible to let go. We get down on our knees and wait for the net weaved of long grass to be placed on the top of our head and down our back like a shared veil. It's then when we mutter the words that would commence the seal of our love. The net is removed and Finnick helps me to my feet. Dalton holds a bowl and we are instructed to dip our fingers, one by one. Finnick goes first and when his fingers brush mine, I taste salt water – striking me with memories of home. My eyes begin to tear as I do the same to him and he kisses the tips of my fingers.

And then at the moment that feels like it's taken too long and hasn't been long enough, all at the same time, Dalton says."Now I pronounce you, man and wife."

We're both smiling and I start crying as Finnick cups my face and kisses me, his lips feeling soft and warm in mine. My hands wrap around his neck and he brings me closer as I hear Avan teasing with catcalls in the background. Music begins to play, the haunting yet upbeat tune that associates our marriage to that of a sea voyage about to embark. I can barely hear it above the cheers and calls of people I don't even recognize and I'm sure I've never met – but they're still so happy to see it. To be a part of it.

The sounds of a piano and violins are replaced by the clamor of fiddles and people begin to move towards the center of the floor and form a circle. I laugh as I feel Finnick holding my hand. The night carries on with dancing and laughs and good food. When it's time to cut the cake, I'm handed the knife by Plutarch who congratulates me happily and gestures towards the magnificently grand cake Peeta had made us. Finnick stands behind me, wrapping his arms over mines and dropping his head to my shoulder. I give him a peck on the cheek and he squeezes my stomach before our hands join and cut through the ocean-blue frosting.

We're assigned a new compartment, not too far from the one I used to share with Avan. He pulls me in that direction when Avan sticks himself between us. "The Odairs! And where are you two going?" he asks loudly, as if there were some alcohol concealed in that apple cider of his when he suddenly sobers. "Ew. Let's just pretend like this never happened."

My cheeks flush in embarrassment. "No, it's –"

Avan just shakes his head, looking over his shoulder at us with disgust on his face. "We never had this conversation."

Finnick's laughing and before anyone else can see us, he grabs me by the arm and we run to the door opening it and locking it behind us. We're both breathless and laughing when a tense moment of uncertainty crosses between us. Suddenly, we're both aware of what's about to happen next and my eyes drift towards the bed. I breathe deeply, about to turn to face him when I feel him on my neck, trailing kisses up and down my shoulders in such a deliciously sinful way that I can hardly think coherently. My skin ripples in pleasure and I turn to find his lips in the darkness. At about the same time, he finds the zipper on the side of my dress and undo's it, slowly reaching to my shoulders to slide it off my body – taking his time as he explores every curve in my chest, stomach, hips, thighs, and legs as he does so. I'm gripped with a tickling sense of pleasure and pull him in closer as I undo the buttons of his white shirt.

"Annie –" he says with bated breath, weaving his hands through my tousled hair and releasing it from the pins.

"Fin?" I respond, pressing my body the full way up against his before he begins lowering me onto the bed.

"We'll never leave each other, okay?" she stops, the upper half of her body on the bed as he hovers over her. In the halflight of the candles, his eyes almost look black. "Never." I tell him, pulling him down towards me and he goes on to kissing me, smiling and claiming me fully for tonight and the rest of forever.

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**A/N: Hope it lived up to the hype! Review_reviewreview_! xx**


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40 -** Finnick

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"What will I tell Annie?" I ask Katniss as we walk down the corridors of thirteen, right after the meeting at Command. They had just shown up a hologram of the Capitol and now we were ready to take this planning to another level. The time had come to kill Snow and we needed an army to do it.

"Nothing." She told me with something distant in her eyes. "That's what I plan to tell my family, at least."

Walking over to Annie now, it didn't feel right to lie. It had been just a week since our wedding and we had been walking on clouds of bliss since then. I had almost completely forgotten about Snow and the Capitol and this War we were fighting. All that mattered to me was Annie. _Annie. Annie. Annie. Annie._

But I did want to kill Snow. For making me into his own version of a prostitute. For making Annie lose a little piece of her sanity. For killing everyone that he's killed.

I hadn't yet reached a decision on what I would tell her. I needed some time to think it over, maybe an hour or so but I couldn't bring myself to be alone. There was little time before we left and I wanted to spend every second of it with her. The door of our compartment opens from a distance and I'm surprised to see Annie's head peeking into the hall.

"Annie?" I call out, quickening my pace to reach her. "Is everything okay?"

When her eyes find me, she smiles. Her eyes crinkling in the corner like they always did when one really meant their smile. I reach her, cupping her face with my hands and I smile, too. "Hey, what's going on?"

Her hands are around my wrists and she pulls me inside. I wait for her to shut the door and face me again. She's still smiling and I'm beginning to wonder what on earth has gotten her so giddy all of a sudden.

"Fin, I have news for you." She begins, dropping her hands to her sides and then picking them up again.

"What is it?" I asked impatiently, moving closer to her. "I'm dying to know."

She inhales sharply and says, "I'm pregnant."

It takes me a few seconds to digest what she's just said. Pregnant. Annie's _Pregnant._ My heart is nearly excruciatingly tearing in half with the news. I'm thrilled and simultaneously full of dread. That's all I've ever wanted with her. A family. Children to raise and growing old with her. Her smile begins to falter and I run to her, lifting her up in the air in an embrace.

"Annie." I say into her hair, taking a deep breath of her scent letting the feel of her consume me for that moment. "My Annie."

I set her down and keep my hands tight around her waist. Her blue-green eyes search mine. "You're happy?"

My heart aches with the guilt of having her doubt it. "Beyond happy." I smirk. "I'm not surprised either. We've been at it like rabbits for the past –"

"Finnick!" She scolds but not without a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Not to mention, we're going to have a really good-looking baby."

She laughs. "Thanks to me."

I pull her back to me when she turns away. "Thanks to you." I repeat, fully meaning it.

She turns her hand in my chest to look at her palm. "Lunch." She tells me.

"We have to see if they can double up your portions. After all, you're feeding two now." I kiss her lightly on the lips.

{-}

"Annie?" I ask in the darkness, my voice carrying around the room.

Her back is to me and I see her bare shoulders shift. "hm?" she asks sleepily.

My hand reaches to her back, fingering the skin where her neck ends and spine begins. Just barely, I catch the goosebumps rising in her skin, now pale like what is standard in thirteen. How am I supposed to tell her I'm leaving tomorrow to find Snow? I had fully intended on telling her the truth, she deserved nothing else but the truth. If I could tell her about the things I've done, the things I was forced to do to find sponsors and was threatened to do by Snow, why couldn't I tell her this? Something inside me clicked like broken nuts and bolts joining to fix a gadget.

"Annie." I said reticently, "I'm going away tomorrow –"

Before I could finish, she had already twisted towards me. "Where?"

She was looking at me with concern as if she were being wretched in two. Her eyes were dark and wide, staring at me in distress. "Where are you going?"

And then, my decision was already made for me. My mother had once told me that although it hurt, you had to lie to protect the ones you loved. And it had worked before like when I had been forced to keep Annie a secret from the Capitol five years ago. And it had worked again when I had kept the grand escape from the arena and anything about Thirteen a secret. "Coin hasn't told us." I swallowed, trying to smile. "It's probably just to film another propo."

Her small hands touched my face, brushing away my hair. "How long will you be gone?"

Her breath felt warm on my face and I laid my hands over hers. "I don't know."

And then with surprising strength and a flash of something in her eyes, she closed our hands together firmly. "Do what you have to do, Finnick." A film of water covered her eyes. "So that we can raise our child in a world free of the Capitol and free of the Hunger Games."

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**A/N: I hope everyone enjoys/enjoyed their last hours of 2011 and welcome 2012 with open arms! I know you all made my 2011 special with being so supportive of this story and instilling my worth as a budding writer! xx**


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41 -** Annie

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Today is his funeral, and as I stand, surrounded by an incredible amount of people, I have my eyes towards the sun. it's bright and slightly shaded by a fluffy white cloud. The day shouldn't be so lovely, not when he's gone. He should be here, seeing it with me.

My throat closes up but the bright glare of the sun fighting against my eyes keeps me from crying.

I feel a nudge at my elbow before someone grabs it – it's Katniss. I'm shocked by the anger that rises upon seeing her face. Gray eyes like I've never seen and dark hair picked up into a disheveled bun. A part of me see's her as the blame, the reason, for his death. He died, saving her. Their mission was to ensure her safety.

If it wasn't for her, he would still be here.

But I shut my eyes and am gripped by reason. This was all greater than Katniss. It was for freedom. Katniss was just the symbol.

They wanted to hold the proceedings in the Capitol. Somewhere where he could be honored and grieved as a War hero. He deserved it, with that I could not argue. But, it didn't seem right. Finnick wouldn't want it. He would want to be home in a District Four that was **free**, thanks to him and the efforts of so many others.

The Capitol broke us, made us, and in a strange twist of fate, brought us together. We might've crossed each other in the streets of District Four for years and never spoken, or even acknowledged each other. But, as much as I loathed to admit it before – when I was a different person, a naive teenager – I had always noticed. I would see him talking to Avan at the shipping yard, waiting until he approached me to purchase a net or fish. It would be a lie to say you lived in Four and had never noticed Finnick Odair. And I lied a lot back then.

There was a shuffle of movement behind me and from the corner of my eye, I saw Avan fighting with his tears as Phillippa rubbed his arm soothingly. She looked at me but I kept my gaze on the elegantly carved, white coffin being held up over a hole interrupting the expanse of green grass. I couldn't look at her. Her sad eyes wouldn't mean anything to me now. Somewhere to my left, I could see Johanna Mason, her eyes spilling over. A person I thought was incapable of tears until a few days into our imprisonment in the Capitol dungeons.

We were standing near the edge of cliff, far enough to avoid the rocks and the splash of the ocean but close enough to smell the salt air and feel it sprinkle on my skin. Many of the Tributes were buried here, because it was the most beauty that Four could offer.

A man in black was speaking but I wasn't listening. My ears felt as if they were plugged with water, like after having been swimming underwater for too long. And I knew that's what I was doing. Swimming along, trying to keep adrift – fighting against the waves that were threatening to drown me. The instant wanting to withdraw from this world and enter another. But today is not one of the days where I curse my visions. The flashing images of my memories that plague me and are the reason for why people stare. The reason why people keep their distance.

First, I was Annie Cresta, the Tribute losing sanity. Then, Annie Cresta, the Victor gone mad. Now, Annie Odair, the mad girl driven further away by despair.

If Finnick still loved me despite it, they would have to learn to accept it, too. And it's Finnick's beautiful face that I see today. He flashes me a toothy grin. I've just told him the news of my pregnancy. He's so happy and he comes closer to hug me, kiss me, smother me with affection. He had always been very affectionate with me. I feel my throat constrict and the tingle of menacing tears. My hand goes down to my stomach.

He wasn't really gone was he? He was still with me, inside me. The parts that made Finnick, Finnick were inside of me right now – and it was kicking.

My face broke in a smile, causing the tears to explode like a mini dam and roll down my cheeks. Now I can be known as Annie, the mad girl who smiled throughout her deceased husband's burial.

But then what was the point?

Why care what everyone else must be saying?

The only person that ever really mattered isn't here anymore, not physically anyways. But there was a tugging in my stomach and I was reminded of the best five years of my life.

The moment his casket began to be lowered into the ground, _I thought I would lose it._

I walked closer, almost to the edge and watched as some people looked at each other with nervous glances wondering what I would do next. I would jump; I really would, but not today. Today, I wanted to live for the child we had made. Today, I wanted the next eight months to fly by so that I could embrace the little Finnick growing in the swell of my belly.

A single tear fell off my cheek and plummeted towards the casket, now halfway into the Earth. I would never know if the two met, because more began to fall, neverending and drenched with everything I felt. The thought of never being able to touch him again or feel his breath on my neck as he grabbed me by the waist; Never feeling the chills that made my hairs rise on end whenever he was near me; The symmetry of his perfect face and eyes that threatened the very beauty of the ocean.

But I knew, based by the loads of people that were here, that Finnick would never be forgotten or lost. He was a hero, a heart throb, a friend, an impassioned ego, and he had been _mine_. His heart had belonged to me and my heart will forever belong to him – and that was something our child would even have to understand.

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**A/N: Ok, so I know that a lot of you **begged **me to keep Finnick alive, but I wanted to keep this as close to canon as possible. And in truth, this is the first chapter I ever wrote for this fic so I knew this is how I wanted it to end. Trust me, I was scared that my keyboard would start malfunction because this came with so many tears.**

** In the HG, I would've loved to see Finnick live and I still don't truly understand why he had to be killed off. Annie and him were both so broken and, leaving Annie without her Finnick, I think, was very cruel for her! I could only hope that she was able to take it without completely losing herself and that's why I wrote her this way. Finnick gave his life for the betterment of the world, the bravest sort of death, so I wanted her to be equally as brave when faced with something so despairing. **

**Finnick and Annie's love was so pure and I really hope that I was able to convey the untold story of how it came to be. Your reviews mean so much to me and I want to thank you all for taking the time out to read this little story of mine and turn it into such a success. I'm **sosososo** proud of this fic and despite a few POV and spelling issues (that I **will **get around to fixing, promise!) I feel like - with all of your encouraging reviews and critiques - i was able to really improve my writing.**

**This isn't an official goodbye though! What had originally begun as the 'prologue', I actually made it into 'Part II' so now the **real **prologue is coming up. I hope you guys stick around to read it :) **

**Sophie xx**


	42. Chapter 42

_ten years later_

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"Mommy, what are you writing?" A small voice comes through the door, stopping at my feet.

"A letter, Finn – to your dad."

His face wrinkles, as if he were trying very hard to understand me. "Does he write back?"

I smiled and reached out to grab his chin with my fingers. It was strong and defined for such a young face and I knew that when he grew older, he would have his father's handsome face. He had grown out of his round, baby face sometime last year and was a ten year old with cheekbones.

"He does, but not in a letter." I explained, feeling the warmth of the open window I was facing before rinse my neck with sun rays. "In here." I took his little hand, callused from his adventures of climbing on trees and using branches as swords, into mine and put it over my chest, where my heart was beating. "I hear him in here. Don't you?"

Finn blinked with my green eyes. I remembered the way Finnick used to tell me how my eyes reminded him of the sea, and now I could see it for myself. Finn's eyes glowed even in the darkness. It was the translucent green of salt water on a day where the sun was high and the sky was blue. Yesterday was one of those days, when I took Finn to the beach to play with his friends. All I could think of was how much he looked like his father, when I knew that if Finnick were still alive, he would be thinking of how much Finn looked like me. There wasn't a day that I didn't look into our son's face and didn't think of him.

"Yeah…sometimes." His mouth twitched, as if he were holding something back. "He was brave, wasn't he mom?"

I nodded as my throat constricted and the corner of my lips twitched. "The bravest man I've ever known. Just don't tell your Uncle Avan I said that."

Finn laughed a sad little laugh. "We're learning about the Hunger Games in school. They told us that you dad was the youngest Victor the Games ever had. Is that true?"

"He was only fourteen." I told him, pride swelling in me for him. "And despite all odds, he came out alive. He _wanted_ to live."

Finn looked down. "And then you were reaped, mom, but they said something mean…I didn't like it…"

"That I was mad?" I smiled. "Finn, we all saw some terrible things during our times in the arena." I lifted his face, gently. "What I saw, it stuck with me for a really long time and I don't think I've ever really gotten over it. I lost two good friends that didn't deserve to die. But you know what you have to do, Finn?" I filled my chest with oxygen, feeling alive and grateful. "You keep your head up and you keep living. You learn to find the good things in life and trust me, there's always something good."

"But you lost so much, mom."

"And I gained so much, too." I brushed long wisps of bronzed hair out of his eyes, anchoring them to the side of his forehead. "I wish you had a chance to meet him, you know. But, I hope I've told you enough stories to keep him alive enough for you. Enough so that you could meet him, in your own way. Truth is, I do struggle with it sometimes, trying to stay present but I'm working on it. I will always try hard to stay present." But I would never make it go away, because I didn't want it to. What other people considered a stroke of madness, I saw as my gateway to Finnick. Now, it wasn't much of Lucas and Alec and terrible things. I saw Finnick and his smile and his hair and eyes. The day of my reaping. The first day on the train when we brushed shoulders. The first time I felt his touch on my cheek and his lips on my skin. The first time he said he loved me. His smell, his voice never left me. I could hear him as if it were yesterday when we were last together. Finnick changed my life. He supported me and helped me see through my visions. He kept me anchored to the world and when he left, I could still somehow feel him calling me back to it. Just like he had done so many times before he died.

My throat was so tight; it was painful to keep the tears away.

"Yeah, I kinda know him." Said Finn. "I'm really glad he's my dad and all, but I just wish he was here."

"Me too." I let myself admit. "But you know, you're just like him."

"Yeah." Finn and I both looked up to the end of the room, where Avan was leaning against the door frame. "It's kind of creepy, Finn."

And just like that, Finn was all smiles again. The moment of such weight had lifted and Finn was just a ten year old again. "_You're_ creepy, Uncle Avan!" he teased, running to his Uncle's arms and letting him swoop him and spin him around in an embrace.

"Can't argue with that." He smirked. "Kaya's waiting for you outside. Go get her!"

Finn's face lit up at the mention of his cousin and he bolted out of the room, not looking back.

"How long were you there?" I asked him.

He shrugged, the insouciant shrug that always made me wish I could adopt his ease for just _everything_. "Long enough. You okay?"

"Yeah, I think so." I played with the edges of the paper with my scribbled words.

"You know, if they're still talking about you back at that school, I can tell you why. Fillippa went over there to talk to Kaya's teacher the other day and she saw this girl that used to be in Finnick's grade. Apparently, she's Finn's teacher and apparently, she's never really gotten over the fact that Finnick never chose her. Really bitter, I hear, because he fell so crazy in love with someone else, that he never spoke to her or any other of his ex-girlfriend's ever again." He cast me a sidelong glance. "Rumor has it, he was like a poor little puppy, just following this new girl around and doing everything and anything to make her happy."

The pain was too much. The back of my throat was like sandpaper. I dropped my head into my hands and the tears spilled over. Avan was by my side in an instant, his hand on my back and the other on my arm. "You keep telling him about how brave his father was, but you never tell him about how incredibly brave his mother was and _continues to be_." He said into my hair. "My sister is the strongest person I know."

"I w-wish I was, Avan." My breathing was ragged and I tried to draw a long, slow breath. "If I didn't have Finn, I don't know what I would've done –" I cut off, letting the tears take over.

"You don't show it, Annie." He said warmly. "And that's what makes you strong – your ability to hide the pain for Finn."

{+}

The grass is still green and the sky is still blue. The wind is picking up and the waves thrash harder against the rocky cliffisde. Coming into sight is the tombstones and after a few more steps, the monument they made for him. The one with the bust of the face that was always in the back of my mind, no matter the day or the time. I walked around it, sitting on my knees to face it. A marble slate about two feet long sat at the top of the length of grass that was about his height.

_Finnick Odair _was engraved right below the bust in elegant script and beneath it, the dates marking the 25 years of his too-short life.

_Husband, Friend, Son, and Hero.  
You will forever be remembered._

"Hey." I whispered to the wind, feeling as if the words were being carried up to him, wherever he may be. "Finn did the funniest thing earlier. It made me feel like it wasn't just me being crazy. He told me that sometimes he feels like you talk to him too." I smiled sadly. "And you left behind a string of bitter ex-girlfriends, too. Finnick, will you ever stop breaking hearts?" Like mine. The way you broke mine when I had heard you had died and they couldn't even bring me your body. Then, the wind grew stronger and my hair blew off my neck and I swear that I felt those chills again. I met the carved out eyes of the bust and smiled. "Just kidding.

I spent a part of the afternoon there, sitting over feet over feet of dirt concealing a coffin that may or may not have anything in it. I told Finnick about our son and what a little man he was growing to be. I told him about how I burned pancakes this morning and how Finn laughed instead of complained over just having a glass of orange juice for breakfast. I told him about Kaya and how she was a striking resemblance of her mother instead of her father – _thank God – _and how glad I was that I had Phillippa at my house almost every day, now as a sister and not just a friend.

When I laughed the sun felt warm and when I cried, the wind blew at my face as if to dry my tears.

He was here. He had never left.

**The End**

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**A/N: Like most of you, I was intrigued with Annie and Finnick and their love story. I felt so strongly about writing these two and I'm so glad that I've had such a wonderful readership to follow this story with me! This fic may be over but I will most definitely be writing more and I hope you all add me to your author alerts (maybe favorite author? eeek!) and continue to read my fics**.** _thankyouthankyouthankyou_xx**


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